Jocularity is the cornerstone of kindness thus certain conclusions appear inevitable (hee hee).
You should execute without humor for kindness unexpectedly as a weapon while giving someone $100 obo.
"Open the pod bay doors, please, HAL"
kindness
Is kindness inherent? Well even people in prison show some sort of kindness toward each other but that may be because there is an alternative motive. Children show kindness only when they want something. My father said to me that in the whole world there are kind and unkind people and if you add up all the kind and minus all the unkind there probably be one or two people left. The only thing is....which direction?
Sometimes, being kind to people u like can be FUN.
Sometimes, being kind to strangers who don t expect it,
can be fun; not always.
Gnodde asks if kindness is inherent. I would like to label myself a Hedonistic Altruist to the extent that when I do act kindly I do so because it feels good. And the pursuit of pleasure does seem to be inherent in most people.
What about when you see a need that you then try to address even it's at the cost of some hardship to yourself? Do you then ignore that need, because it won't be a pleasurable experience for you?
A lot of time kindness involves a certain amount of sacrifice that would tend to override the effect of any of the positive endorphins released by feeling smug or proud of yourself for doing the right thing.
I don't know, I've just found that the more intense pleasures to be found don't necessarily or even usually involve what would typically be considered "kind" acts. If I'm after pleasure, I go for pleasure, and not usually by way of kindness. I see my hedonism and my altruism as being distinct and separate from each other- usually - anyway.
Well, it seems, R, that I overstated my position. Pleasure in the physical sense (i.e., enjoying endorphins) is not what I was referring to. Instead of "Hedonistic Altruism" I probably should have said "Egoistic Altruism." A kindness that involves personal sacrifice will proably give me more ego-gratification than would a kindness involving little or no sacrifice.
Now a buddhistic form of "kindness" would have little to do with egoism of this sort. The kindness would be driven by compassion or empathy, i.e., the identification with another. I guess that might be considered egoism once removed.
JL-That makes it more clear to me- I get it- thanks.
JLNobody wrote:The kindness would be driven by compassion or empathy, i.e., the identification with another. I guess that might be considered egoism once removed.
would you mind telling me what you think on that?
- just interested (and maybe a bit thick)
If I identify with another and for that reason want to benefit him/her that is like wanting to benefit myself. Compassion (qua empathy) expands the self to include others. It is still egoism but once removed, i.e., I do it for myself but my Self includes the other. Just a perspective.
JLNobody wrote:Well, it seems, R, that I overstated my position. Pleasure in the physical sense (i.e., enjoying endorphins) is not what I was referring to. Instead of "Hedonistic Altruism" I probably should have said "Egoistic Altruism." A kindness that involves personal sacrifice will proably give me more ego-gratification than would a kindness involving little or no sacrifice.
Now a buddhistic form of "kindness" would have little to do with egoism of this sort. The kindness would be driven by compassion or empathy, i.e., the identification with another. I guess that might be considered egoism once removed.
Compassion or empathy driven kindness is no different -- it is also driven by ego-gratification!
Ideally, the BEST kindness
is such that causes a lot of joy in the recipient,
and causes much GREATER delight in the donor.
Is this disputed ?
David
I would consider it a kindness not to have to squint at your loud ass posts.
