AIBU to wonder whether 'be kind' became common after COVID?

[CharityShopCharlie]

Nobody said Be Kind repeatedly before COVID did they? Isn't this where it began? And are people kinder now? I'm not sure they are.

If anything people seem more selfish and inconsiderate post COVID.

I don't think Covid has anything to do with it.

I thought it came after Caroline Flack died. I agree that people definitely seem ruder and more entitled post-Covid but in general I dislike the "be kind" movement as it mainly seems to be said to women as a way of shutting us up!

I think it came about as a reaction to what can happen when we are unkind, as PP said, Caroline Flack's death. Its also become very embedded as a word in child care. My GC are always saying someone has or hasn't been kind, in a way my DC didn't. They might have said so and so has done this or that but not label it in terms of kindness.

I think the ‘Be Kind’ movement was in good faith originally and well intentioned, however it was hijacked by liberals and people who wanted to silence those with opinions they don’t like.

The term toxic positivity springs to mind. Some people don’t like hearing the truth and things that perhaps touch a nerve and ‘Be Kind’ acts somewhat as a silencer to anything that doesn’t promote said toxic positivity. Sometimes honestly and truth are needed to help someone but if you dare say the truth you’ll be met with ‘That’s really unkind’. There are several notable examples I could use where be kind gets trotted out when it’s a guise to shut someone up.

No, people have become more and more cuntish since covid, much more rude and self involved.

Caroline Flack said it in December 2019 on one of her last Instagram posts. She died in Feb 2020, and lockdown started March 2020 when it was used a lot.

It was related to Caroline flack as others have says. Adopted more widely and readily than if might otherwise have been since we were all terminally online with Covid. Lockdowns

Be kind is nothing to do with being kind. It's just a way of diverting/avoiding often deserved criticism and to silence anyone with a different opinion/outlook.

The tail end of 2019 with Caroline Flack is definitely my memory of it gaining traction.