At Wear Your Wisdom we like to believe that Kindness is Always in Style. Kindness looks good on everyone. If someone chooses to be unkind, it only makes that person look bad. "Blowing out someone else's candle doesn't make yours shine any brighter"
So why is it that nastiness is such a big seller? We saw it in full force during the 2016 US presidential campaign. We are bombarded with it on TV shows, in the news, on the newsstand, on the road, on the internet. Many people seem to eat it up and yet none of us enjoys being treated in an unkind manner. What are we teaching our children? What will the future be like as we gradually lose total respect for one another and convince ourselves that we have the right to do and say whatever we want, regardless of the consequences?
It pains me to watch Gordon Ramsey ranting and swearing at people on Hell's kitchen or Kevin O'Leary's hurtful way of shaming Dragon's Den contestants. I have seen the kinder gentler side of both these men. Gordon Ramsey has done a wonderful series of cooking shows in his home, featuring his family. Surprise, super nice guy! Kevin O'Leary wrote a great biography called "Cold Hard Truth". Well, I didn't find it so cold and hard. On the contrary, turns out he is a family man whose soft spot for his mother really touched me. He also did a TV show called Redemption Inc. where he took ex cons under his wing an helped them become entrepreneurs. Loved it... I want to see more! At times, even Donald Trump appears to have a heart and not to be completely ruthless. But sadly, that isn't what most people want to see. These guys play up their bad boy personas because that is where the money is. That is what people want to see. Just like bad news sells and sex sells, the media is only giving people what they want. Let's rise above it! Let's go higher!
Like these three men I have singled out, I believe most people have a kinder gentler side and feel more deeply connected through acts of kindness. Sadly, it seems to take a disaster of some kind to bring out the best in us. We've all heard stories of complete strangers coming to the aid of others in times of crisis. Heartwarming, isn't it? I for one would like to hear more stories of people behaving kindly! If enough of us want it, it will happen.