Dedicated to Howard Zinn....On Kindness

[OneGrassRoot]

I appreciate Howard Zinn's wisdom more and more each day, and think of his words often when I visit DU.

I'm sharing, yet again, one of my favorite quotes, as an interlude from the frustration, anger and fear which so often threaten to completely overwhelm us.



(Photo by my friend, Molly Rice)

An optimist isn't necessarily a blithe, slightly sappy whistler in the dark of our time. To be hopeful in bad times is not just foolishly romantic. It is based on the fact that human history is a history not only of cruelty but also of compassion, sacrifice, courage, kindness.

What we choose to emphasize in this complex history will determine our lives. If we see only the worst, it destroys our capacity to do something. If we remember those times and places — and there are so many — where people have behaved magnificently, this gives us the energy to act, and at least the possibility of sending this spinning top of a world in a different direction.

And if we do act, in however small a way, we don't have to wait for some grand utopian future. The future is an infinite succession of presents, and to live now as we think human beings should live, in defiance of all that is bad around us, is itself a marvelous victory.

~ Howard Zinn

You might want to check out this "Say Something Nice" video: http://www.wishadoo.org/wishadoo/video/say-something-nice/

:thumbsup:

If you're not gagging yet from all The Nice, there's a whole collection of positive news stories here: Our Collective Good


Finally, I created a new tool @ www.wishadoo.org: GOT KINDNESS? It's on the home page (right sidebar), where you're invited to share acts of kindness you've experienced or witnessed. We need every tidbit of good news we can get. You don't need a Twitter account, just log in and contribute your story of kindness in 140 characters or less. If you use Wishadoo's Social Network tool to sign up/login, your GOT KINDNESS "tweets" can automatically post to Twitter, FB, etc.

Sharing kindness = more kindness. Maybe then we can get something DONE to move in a positive direction to change this world. :)


Of course, please also share any stories, videos, whatever you'd like in the realm of kindness here in this thread!

:grouphug:




edit for typo

[peter999]

1. Zinn

He had some very good things to say. Thanks for sharing.

[peter999]

2. Photo

A good photo. You friend is a talented photographer.

[OneGrassRoot]

3. Thank you, I agree. And welcome to DU!

:hi:

[malaise]

4. Lovely post

Rec

[Gregorian]

5. There's a murderer loose in my backyard.

This man killed someone in the forest nearby. And he is suspected to have murdered another man in the area, if not more. His father was interviewed saying that he had witnessed his son's mental change in his late teens, and had pleaded for help. No one was there to give that help. The son sees things, and has done really weird stuff like leaving fake bombs at some Chinese embassy in the city of San Francisco.

This morning as I was waking up I had intense feelings of sadness for this murdering man. I think empathy means dropping the egotistical reasoning we usually conjure up, and actually thinking why something happens No one murders unless they're out of their mind. This poor man must be in incredible pain. In order to even facilitate this kind of empathy, one must drop all notions of punitive thinking. The reaction is that someone was killed, therefore disregarding anything else someone is going to be punished. But still, if we abandon empathy for anyone, we must abandon it for all.

I think that in a way we cannot divorce ourselves from everything that happens. Life is democratic. The father asked for help. Who is it that allowed us to spend trillions on war, and yet not spend enough for the support of those who need it the most.

[OneGrassRoot]

7. I think that without empathy...

we don't stand a chance as a species. Empathy has been maligned for decades, as have other more humane qualities (compassion, cooperation, etc.)

It's not easy though, especially in a situation such as you describe. I applaud your thoughtfulness in considering what led this young man to these actions.

If we don't put ourselves in others' shoes more often and tap into our humanity -- and see that as a strength, not a weakness -- I fear violence against innocents will increase.

[onestepforward]

6. "Always be kind, for everyone is fighting a hard battle." - Plato

:hi:

[OneGrassRoot]

9. One of my favorites...

:hi:

[patrice]

8. Why small behaviors are powerful and important . . .

"The future is an infinite succession of presents, and to live now as we think human beings should live, in defiance of all that is bad around us, is itself a marvelous victory.