Starting the Year on a Kind Note

Jan 2

-
for those curious how kindness affects themselves and others with articles from the Huffington Post, New York Times, and more
(suggested songs to supplement your reading: "Good As New" by Vacationer + "Line of Sight" by ODESZA + "Into the Wilderness" by Early Hours)
-

Have you ever truly thought about how kindness affects people? How it affects those being kind and those who receive kindness? Can it spread and what are the results after it occurs? Now that 2017 is over, I'm analyzing some of the craziest ways people have been kind to me and how it changed the way I think and act.

I have been the lucky recipient of so much kindness over the years, but there is a singular event that took place within the last days of 2017 that blew my mind. I worked with a fellow student at our Central Michigan University television station for a show called Central View. His name is Tyrus, and he and I had our own segments, but we helped each other from time to time if we were tight on a deadline.

As he was also a varsity wrestler, there were some conflicting issues with his schedule. So, he once asked if I would help him with a simple, yet time consuming, task of organizing video clips. I didn't hesitate and helped him out. I knew he'd do the same for me. What I didn't know was how he'd repay that kindness months later.

I got an unexpected text from Tyrus asking if we could meet up so that he could give me something. That something turned out to be his Canon 80D and all of his camera gear.

Why did he do this? I can only partially answer that question. Tyrus is about to begin a two-year-journey of training to be a Navy Seal, so he won't have much time for photography. But, why did he choose me? He explained a bit and said that I would utilize it all and take care of the gear while he was away. So, if you want to get technical, it's more of a loan... an investment. Whatever it is, though, it was kind.

Tyrus knew the gear would be better off getting used and taken care of rather than sitting it on a shelf. And, while this is only one example (although the most amazing,) there were numerous times where I was treated well by friends, family, and even complete strangers.

Now, let's relate this to you.

“Others studied whether or not kindness is contagious, and their results say it is.”

How can kindness affect you and your kind acts affect others? I'll provide one example from each resource I tapped.

"On a biochemical level, it is believed that the good feeling we get is due to... elevated levels of dopamine in the brain, so we get a natural high, often referred to as 'Helper’s High.'" Our kind acts literally make us happier according to David R. Hamilton, Ph.D in the Huffington Post.
- Hamilton goes on to explain the other possible "side effects" of kindness; it can make your heart healthier, improve relationships, and even has the possibility to slow aging. (Click here for link.)
Others studied whether or not kindness is contagious, and their results say it is. "According to the the researchers, the explanation lies not in calculations of odds and rewards, but in simple behavioral mimicry: Monkey see, monkey do, human style. When people are irrationally generous, others follow suit." If we see others being kind, it's hard to ignore, and we act similarly in response.
- The author Brandon Keim provides information on a study done "where selfishness made more sense than cooperation," though people were still more often kind than not. (Click here for link.)

“‘We find that people imitate not only the particulars of positive actions, but also the spirit underlying them.’”

Scientific American also took a look at this phenomenon. They condensed information from studies conducted by researchers at Stanford and Harvard. They write, "People who believed others had felt empathy for the homeless cared more themselves, and also donated twice as much as people who believed others had felt little empathy." But, to me, this next sentence is key. "We find that people imitate not only the particulars of positive actions, but also the spirit underlying them." This implies that people are not simply copying others but actually care about why others acted in such a way.
- Read more of Jamil Zaki's article and view the full research study on Scientific American. (Click here for link.)
Can kindness be learned? While there is debate, some researchers believe it can. Regardless, it drastically appears that people want their children to learn. In a survey of over 2,500 people, more than 75% agreed teaching kindness to kids trumps getting good grades. Though Richard Schiffman's article mainly deals with children, it goes deeper into explaining if we are capable of changing our behavior, in relation to kindness, as humans.
- Check this out if you're interested in a more developmental study on kindness. (Click here for link.)

Each act of kindness I've received has impacted me differently, but they always impact me. That's why I decided to do this research, share it with others, and begin my 2018 on a kind note. How are you going to start your 2018? Let me know in the comments and share your incredible tale of kindness!

- Cullan

ARTICLES (Links in Titles):