It’s been such a tough year. Never in our wildest dreams did we think we would be living through a worldwide pandemic. 

Something to come to my attention in recent months is the phrase: “Be Kind”. So many people say it, but how many people actually practice what they preach?

I can’t help but think about the scandal surrounding Ellen DeGeneres. The latest season of her hit talk show appeared to be looking down the barrel of being cancelled. One by one, previous employees and acquaintances of hers came forward and told of their negative experiences with the celebrity. Former employees told of being bullied and degraded by Ellen. Members of the media told of having been warned not to talk or even look at her for purposes other than that which has been arranged. Furthermore, audience members of her talk show described a shockingly sterile and unfriendly experience onset, which was in contrast to what they thought they had seen on television. 

As a person who has studied journalism, I know how easy it is to manipulate a story to get people to believe the angle you want them to see. Of course, members of the public could easily come forward to tell of their “experiences” and get their fifteen minutes of fame. There were so many similar allegations against Ellen that at the beginning of the new season of her show, she addressed her audience, apologising for any upset she may have caused. Many saw this as merely a damage control measure, rather than a sincere apology. Check out the clip below!

This article isn’t all about the Ellen DeGeneres scandal. I just wanted to use her as an example of people who don’t practice what they preach. 

The other sort of people who fool themselves into thinking they are “kind” are those on vegetarian or vegan diets. 

Don’t get me wrong. I admire those who stand up for animal rights. However, bullying others into believing what you believe is not the way to go about it. 

The education is out there, but unfortunately it is up to everyone to seek out the information and use it.

This goes the same for religious nuts who feel the need to force the bible down people’s throats. If people want the information, they will seek it out. 

However, you will find that many people like this are not really good people underneath it all, because they’re trying to earn karma points, or trying to earn their ticket into heaven. So, is it really kind if there is an ulterior motive? 

I tend to think not.  

So, what does it mean to be kind? This is so hard to answer, because kindness comes in many forms. The first is giving someone loose change to pay for their bread and milk. The second is not judging a person before getting to know them; understanding that things aren’t always as they seem. The third is choosing how to react when you, say, go to McDonald’s and they mess up your order. You can either be gracious and accept their apologies, or you can be a Karen and belittle the staff for their mistake.

Some people think that for an act to be truly kind, it has to be selfless. But is this even possible? Feeling good about yourself and boosting your own self-esteem as a result, to some, is selfish.

Of course, this takes me back to that episode of Friends when Phoebe tries to show Joey that selfless good deeds do in fact exist. Check out the clip of that episode below!

In this post, I think I have raised more questions than answers. Kindness clearly comes in many forms, but I think sincerity plays a big part in it. As a person who has studied Public Relations, I have seen the lengths individuals and companies will go to in order to better their brand. The difference is an act of kindness which is subsequently plastered on social media for the world to see, compared to an act followed by the words, “You’re welcome”.

So, to sum up this post, it is important to be not just kind, but sincere and humble. A smile costs nothing, yet it is priceless.

It is things like this which will make Christmas all the more special. Thank you for reading, and my happiest wishes to all for Christmas and the New Year.

Stay tuned for my next post coming soon!

xoxo Brett