The best way to spot an idiot? Look for the person who is cruel. When we see someone who doesn’t look like us, or sound like us, or act like us, or love like us, or live like us — the first thought that crosses almost everyone’s brain is rooted in either fear or judgment or both. That’s evolution. We survived as a species by being suspicious of things we aren’t familiar with.
In order to be kind, we have to shut down that animal instinct and force our brain to travel a different pathway. Empathy and compassion are evolved states of being. They require the mental capacity to step past our most primal urges. I’m here to tell you that when someone’s path through this world is marked with acts of cruelty, they have failed the first test of an advanced society. They never forced their animal brain to evolve past its first instinct. They never forged new mental pathways to overcome their own instinctual fears. And so, their thinking and problem-solving will lack the imagination and creativity that the kindest people have in spades.
Over my many years in politics and business, I have found one thing to be universally true: the kindest person in the room is often the smartest.
I love, love, love this. John Gruber linked to this yesterday, and I had to go and watch the whole thing. And it did not disappoint. I spent most the speech nodding my head and saying “this is me”.
But the message is so powerful. Empathy is something that is sorely missing these days. At least in the public. At least when people’s thoughts are brought into the public eye. We (the collective “we”) seem to be increasingly willing to revel in being cruel and ignoarant at the same time. Hell, a guy was elected president because of it. And people praised him for it. Which I will never understand.
For the people in my life, I always ask them to approach situations with empathy and humility up front. At the very least, you will show yourselves to be open to whatever their issue or concern is. It’s a good rule of thumb. A good life tip. And a way to avoid being an idiot.
