This day is a testament to the kindness of people.
It’s in the little things
– a foreign affairs employee being willing to wait for you because you forgot something, or a colleague you barely know ready to lend a hand (or, literally, money because you weren’t prepared). Sorry, I had to fix some papers today, and I was in a rush, hence the encounters with human kindness.
This is why I have such a belief in the goodness in the world.
Yeah, I’m cynical as hell about love, pride, corruption and societal ills, but I’m always optimistic about individuals.
There’s always something beautiful and interesting in persons when you consider them on their own. In fact, I think it’s when we’re in groups that our goodness sometimes gets ruined.
People will reprimand me sometimes – saying I believe too much in the good in people, that I’m too kind or democratic, that this makes me easy prey.
I don’t think there’s anything wrong with giving people the benefit of the doubt.
Yeah, I have my pet peeves; and there are many people that piss me off, that I actually don’t prefer to work with, or that I don’t really want to be friends with. But that doesn’t mean I can’t try to understand where they’re coming from. Doesn’t mean I can’t use my own means of making them more human, more relatable in my eyes.
I may be an over-analytical elitist, but I also give it to people that we don’t consciously want to do bad things to or hurt others.
Yeah, that isn’t an excuse and, no, I’m not making excuses for crime and evil. I just really think that if we gave each other more of a chance in this world, there’d just be more understanding, and hopefully, peace.
Of course, you could make the argument that tolerant peace isn’t worth much. And it may be ruined by any step you take in the direction of “educating” or “improving lives”, because it will be somehow tainted by or seen as having some form of cultural hegemony.
But that’s why I wish we could work towards a wiser peace, one that’s multi-culturally enlightened.
I also hope that we’re actually getting there soon. And, in the next post, I’ll talk about the ideas or “movements”, organizations and companies that, even if they still have to make money, at least do some form of authentic helping and understanding in this world.
icepick 
I’m glad to hear that I’m not the only one with these same views! I hold true to almost all that you are saying, and I believe that if people who are like-minded in these views that promote peace, equality, and understanding would band together and speak their mind and views, that this world indeed does have a chance to change. Don’t get me wrong, change isn’t going to happen tommorrow, nor the next day, maybe not even in my lifetime, but hopefully, soon. Sometime at least. We as a world seem to be moving closer in some aspects, yet farther apart in others. I believe people just need to recognize that we are all of the same world, it is the same gravity that holds us to this ground, we all breathe the same air, see the same sky, feel the heat of the same sun, so why can’t we all share the same rights, give eachother the same understanding? I believe peace is ultimately the answer to the world sharing as true a happiness that could ever be obtained. So, I encourage you to follow your own beliefs in giving others the “benefit of the doubt” and working towards understanding. You are not in any means wrong my friend, as people may try to reprimand you into thinking. I hope that your good practices will spread to those people in time. Don’t get me wrong, it is good to be cautious, however trust and understanding should exceed any caution. It is ultimately when a person feels trusted that they will do little wrong, it is when they feel that you believe them to decipt you, that they indeed will. Peace & Cheers! Thank you for posting:)
Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts about what I wrote! It does comfort me to hear that someone shares the same views, and thank you for supporting the fact that I give people the “benefit of the doubt” often. I agree with your statement on people treating you the way you expect them to. I do hope more people see that, as well. It’s like raising your kids while telling them their being brats, then wondering why they’re acting out as brats.
Thanks for reading! And if you don’t mind answering, how did you come across the post? I was just wondering. Did you see it through a tag or something?
Yes! it was tagged under “Psychology” 🙂
Thanks! 🙂 I was wondering how you saw it.
Sorry, it’s my first time to actually get a comment that reacted to and discussed the heart of what I was trying to say 🙂
No problem! I encourage you to keep expressing your views, because eventually people will come along and see what you have to say and respond ( like I did 🙂 ) the world wide web is a big place, and sometimes it is hard to get noticed, but never forget that your words have just as much value as anyone else’s when spoken with your true feelings:) keepup the writing! and I encourage you to share your own responses in length to what others say, afterall, no ears will hear the voice that is silent 🙂
Thanks for the advice! True, the Internet is such a big place, so much so that I don’t even expect to get heard, so I find it amazing when I am. Peace to you, Jenna!