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Kindness In The Age Of Algorithms: Why It Matters More Than Ever
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“You should be kind to everyone.”I was told that a lot when I was a kid and teenager; nowadays, not so much. The focus is elsewhere (read: scrolling on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, or some other social media platform), and two hours can just pass by. Then, all of a sudden, you wonder, “Where did those two hours go?”
It’s getting lost in the digital maze—a maze with minimal human connection, where the concept of “I” is in the driver’s seat.
The definition of kindness, according to the APA Dictionary of Psychology, is a helpful action intentionally directed towards another person. It is considered to be motivated by a desire to help another person, not to gain a reward or to avoid punishment.
The concept of kindness has been well researched. At an individual level, engaging in acts of kindness boosts both dopamine and serotonin levels —neurotransmitters that promote feelings of satisfaction. On top of that, it releases endorphins (the body’s own painkillers)
Maybe kindness can help us get out of the digital maze? Or at least offer a mindful pause.
It’s getting lost in the digital maze—a maze with minimal human connection, where the concept of “I” is in the driver’s seat.
The definition of kindness, according to the APA Dictionary of Psychology, is a helpful action intentionally directed towards another person. It is considered to be motivated by a desire to help another person, not to gain a reward or to avoid punishment.
The concept of kindness has been well researched. At an individual level, engaging in acts of kindness boosts both dopamine and serotonin levels —neurotransmitters that promote feelings of satisfaction. On top of that, it releases endorphins (the body’s own painkillers)
Maybe kindness can help us get out of the digital maze? Or at least offer a mindful pause.
Be Like The River
“In generosity and helping others, be like the river.” This is a quote from the Persian poet Rumi. Helping others and being generous should be just like the river- ever-flowing. As a stressed business owner, parent, or someone busy building backlinks this concept is still relevant.
Instead of using social media for “my” perspective, “my” view, “my” joke, “my” feed, we can build a bridge to someone (a real human being!) hiding behind another screen or tablet.
It’s kindness with a creative touch.
This is not the same as saying that we should suddenly engage in a fake flattery campaign and start to comment and give out hearts to random people. It’s more of a mindful pause. Because digital distraction is real, and too many hours are being spent in the digital maze, with few kindness stops.
But just like the river, the ever-flowing river, a kind heart online can lead to kind hearts offline, which lead to happy parents, business owners, and people busy building backlinks.
“In generosity and helping others, be like the river.” This is a quote from the Persian poet Rumi. Helping others and being generous should be just like the river- ever-flowing. As a stressed business owner, parent, or someone busy building backlinks this concept is still relevant.
Instead of using social media for “my” perspective, “my” view, “my” joke, “my” feed, we can build a bridge to someone (a real human being!) hiding behind another screen or tablet.
It’s kindness with a creative touch.
This is not the same as saying that we should suddenly engage in a fake flattery campaign and start to comment and give out hearts to random people. It’s more of a mindful pause. Because digital distraction is real, and too many hours are being spent in the digital maze, with few kindness stops.
But just like the river, the ever-flowing river, a kind heart online can lead to kind hearts offline, which lead to happy parents, business owners, and people busy building backlinks.
A Happy Digital Heart?
A life without Instagram, YouTube, or having a computer in your pocket 24/7 seems impossible. But it was not so long ago that this was the case. In fact that was the case for hundreds and hundreds of years.
What did people do when they couldn’t hide behind a screen? Did they get caught in other types of mazes? Investigating this further is not the goal of this article, but it’s worth thinking about because all those hours spent on TikTok or scrolling up and down were taken from something else.
A study regarding the secrets of longevity found five places around the world where people consistently live over 100 years. These societies had nine common denominators—three of those were a sense of belonging, putting their families first, and having social circles that supported healthy behaviours.
What can we learn from that study? A lot! But first and foremost, the connection with other people is key to living a meaningful and healthy life. And how could we connect with other people in the age of algorithms?
Kindness and giving a digital smile to someone is a start. :)
Bridge To Kindness
It’s hard to give kindness to others if there is not enough space for kindness within ourselves. So to build lasting kindness bridges, we also need to hold ourselves in kindness. Mindful living, not rushing, and learning from the findings of the above-mentioned study are some examples of how one could cultivate that.
Honoring what we feel, taking a mindful pause. Kindness deserves to be gently woken up.
A life without Instagram, YouTube, or having a computer in your pocket 24/7 seems impossible. But it was not so long ago that this was the case. In fact that was the case for hundreds and hundreds of years.
What did people do when they couldn’t hide behind a screen? Did they get caught in other types of mazes? Investigating this further is not the goal of this article, but it’s worth thinking about because all those hours spent on TikTok or scrolling up and down were taken from something else.
A study regarding the secrets of longevity found five places around the world where people consistently live over 100 years. These societies had nine common denominators—three of those were a sense of belonging, putting their families first, and having social circles that supported healthy behaviours.
What can we learn from that study? A lot! But first and foremost, the connection with other people is key to living a meaningful and healthy life. And how could we connect with other people in the age of algorithms?
Kindness and giving a digital smile to someone is a start. :)
Bridge To Kindness
It’s hard to give kindness to others if there is not enough space for kindness within ourselves. So to build lasting kindness bridges, we also need to hold ourselves in kindness. Mindful living, not rushing, and learning from the findings of the above-mentioned study are some examples of how one could cultivate that.
Honoring what we feel, taking a mindful pause. Kindness deserves to be gently woken up.
The Rise Of Social Media Kindness Day
Cyberbullying and online negativity are some of the issues on social media and the reality of the digital landscape today. Social Media Kindness Day was established to address this. The aim of this day is to encourage users of different social media platforms to be mindful of their interactions and to foster a compassionate online community.
Social Media Kindness Day takes place every 9th of November, but this is something that we should carry with us all the time. Practicing active listening in the digital world and pausing before responding are qualities to cherish, both online and offline.
As with all change, it doesn’t happen in a vacuum. The fact that there is a need for a Social Media Kindness Day is itself a response to a problem—a harsh, toxic digital space.
A Little Digital Kindness Goes A Long Way
Why do people actually post on social media? With the hope that someone will react, comment, like, or follow. That’s it. This comes down to wanting to be seen and to have someone answer you back. Otherwise, someone wouldn’t have made the post in the first place; they would have written in their diary and then put it away for no one to read.
Who wants their post to be ignored? Who wants to feel ignored?
This is where digital kindness comes into play. It is a response and it can become a habit. A connection with someone happens in active listening and in an allowing space. Trying to make another person smile is a start.
Cyberbullying and online negativity are some of the issues on social media and the reality of the digital landscape today. Social Media Kindness Day was established to address this. The aim of this day is to encourage users of different social media platforms to be mindful of their interactions and to foster a compassionate online community.
Social Media Kindness Day takes place every 9th of November, but this is something that we should carry with us all the time. Practicing active listening in the digital world and pausing before responding are qualities to cherish, both online and offline.
As with all change, it doesn’t happen in a vacuum. The fact that there is a need for a Social Media Kindness Day is itself a response to a problem—a harsh, toxic digital space.
A Little Digital Kindness Goes A Long Way
Why do people actually post on social media? With the hope that someone will react, comment, like, or follow. That’s it. This comes down to wanting to be seen and to have someone answer you back. Otherwise, someone wouldn’t have made the post in the first place; they would have written in their diary and then put it away for no one to read.
Who wants their post to be ignored? Who wants to feel ignored?
This is where digital kindness comes into play. It is a response and it can become a habit. A connection with someone happens in active listening and in an allowing space. Trying to make another person smile is a start.
Final Thoughts
In this article, I have discussed the concept of digital kindness and why it is relevant. A sense of belonging and acts of kindness are key ingredients of a healthy digital life. Research shows that when you engage in acts of kindness, it boosts both dopamine and serotonin levels.
While kindness online may be a bit trickier to deal with (because we don’t see the person on the other side of the screen), it deserves attention. Being on social media and running a business, or even being a teenager, is hard to navigate.
If we can see the river, the ever-flowing river, and what a kind heart can do for another heart, we can build many bridges—even in the age of algorithms.
In this article, I have discussed the concept of digital kindness and why it is relevant. A sense of belonging and acts of kindness are key ingredients of a healthy digital life. Research shows that when you engage in acts of kindness, it boosts both dopamine and serotonin levels.
While kindness online may be a bit trickier to deal with (because we don’t see the person on the other side of the screen), it deserves attention. Being on social media and running a business, or even being a teenager, is hard to navigate.
If we can see the river, the ever-flowing river, and what a kind heart can do for another heart, we can build many bridges—even in the age of algorithms.
Maria Johannesson
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