Personally, if I were asked “Is kindness cool?”, I would reply, “absolutely.” 

Being the reason for other’s peace of mind is quite astonishing to me. In society, the idea of pleasing people goes far beyond kindness.

But in reality, all that is needed is a simple “you look good today.” No doubt, there are different ways of being kind, but the type of kindness that I truly cherish is the one that is genuine.

I know a lot of back handed compliments that are created intentionally with bad motives because, after all, you are just a vulnerable puppy to them. Nevertheless, kindness can truly take you far.

I remember one time in 5th grade, this girl was crying because she failed her test. I went to comfort her because I truly felt bad, and what happened next truly surprised me. The teacher came and gave me candies because I was being a “good kid.” 

Ever since then, I started understanding what and where kindness could really take you. Around 5th grade, again, there was a load of pencil shavings on the floor and no one cleaned it up, so I took it upon myself to fix that. I got the dustpan and broom from the back of the room, and started sweeping up the mess.

 I assumed my teacher saw me clean the mess up because later that day, I saw a note on my table saying “Thank you.” I was immediately content, and replied “No problem.”

One example I can give of a back handed compliment was when a girl in my school wore baggy pants that were sagging almost half way down her thighs. She was skinny and frail, someone who obviously didn’t have it the best. Nevertheless, this group of girls came up to her, and told her they liked her outfit with a smirk on their faces. 

It was quite obvious they did this to make fun of her. She ended up walking away while their shady comments were hitting her like arrows. I always caught myself wondering why people treated others this way. 

Was this the new way of being cool? Will you make more friends if you act mean to others? What exactly do you gain from this? Just a roller coaster of thoughts rolling through my head. I found it evident to me that the cause was a desire to feel one above the other. It also made me believe this was their only way of belonging. There is no happiness one would feel being lonely, therefore, one might prey on others to feel a sense of contrast.