Random Acts Of Kindness Essay

Making a Ripple:
Evaluation of Two Random Acts of Kindness

Introduction

Fredrickson (2008), a scientist and author, relays if we all do one random act of kindness daily we might set the world in the right direction. The direction indicated by an act of kindness is due to the possible chain reaction, which sparks others to 'pay it forward ' to others, creating a case for sustainability. My acts of kindness are evaluated in terms of person values and consumption; both can accrue to sustainability.

The First Act

My first act of kindness sparks from the first week of semester when I entered the Business School of Auckland University of Technology (AUT) to see a line of students crowded in front of the Business undergraduate office. AUT 's

She questioned my decision, asking if I was certain. As I pulled up to the next window to collect my meal, I could hear a collective 'Thank you ' from the family behind. The lady who gave me my food then told me the family had also decided to 'pay it forward ', leaving $20 for the next customer 's meal.

Emotional Responses

Acts like this lift spirits. The immediate emotions I felt when I requested to pay it forward were of worry. I acknowledge what I was doing was a good deed, but I was initially hesitant incase they had ordered to an amount I could not afford. The initial emotional response was overcome when I heard the chorus of 'Thankyou 's ' from the car behind. I was again humbled and proud of my actions when the server told me the family had also choosen to pay it forward. I left feeling overwhelmed that I was able to personally make someone happier.

The Resulting Sense of Relationship

Due to the cashier questioning my actions, I questioned myself. The way the cashier seemed to more genuinely care about my actions makes me more likely to want to be served by her again. Although I would like to pass on my appreciation to the family who also paid it forward, I am unlikely to see them again. However because we chose similar actions, I feel as though the family and I share similar values of care and

In the modern consumer society the ultimate symbol of status and power takes the form of money. In both acts my values were to help others through making them happy, however the capital I used to perform the acts was not only human and social, but also financial. This was because I spent money on completing the tasks (firstly, buying the card and secondly, the meal). Without spending money, and consuming goods I had become increasingly dependent on the market economy, as Clarke (2008) says we find it difficult to express our identity and be acknowledged for who we really are without