On a Relevant/Irrelevant Test the question “Did you kill Joh…
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On а Relevаnt/Irrelevаnt Test the questiоn “Did yоu kill Jоhn Doe?” would be considered
Fоr yоur finаl exаm, yоu will engаge critically with two articles: "The Heart and Science of Kindness" by Melissa Brodrick and "The Art of Kindness" by Steve Siegle. These authors discuss the significance of kindness and self-compassion and their broader implications for individuals and society. You have 100 minutes to complete this exam. Your task is to write an argumentative essay that takes a position either agreeing or disagreeing with the authors' perspectives on the importance of kindness and self-compassion. Mimic MLA format as much as you can. You will need a heading, title, etc formatted in MLA form with the exception of double spacing. Canvas does not allow for double spacing. Do your best, but your primary focus on theis the content of your essay. You WILL need in-text citations and a Works Cited page. You are given the information needed for those. For your essay, follow these simplified guidelines: Thesis Statement: Clearly state if you agree or disagree with the authors on the impact of kindness and self-compassion. Present a strong thesis statement without using personal phrases like "I think" or "I believe." Key Ideas: BRIEFLY summarize the main points from both articles, noting where your views agree or differ from the authors on kindness and self-compassion. Analysis: Evaluate the benefits or drawbacks of kindness as described in the articles, using specific quotes and examples from Brodrick and Siegle to back your points. Self-Compassion: Discuss the importance of self-kindness in personal well-being as outlined by the authors, and support or refute its effectiveness. Practical Application: Suggest ways to practice kindness and self-compassion in daily life, or argue for alternative approaches based on the content of the articles. Ensure your essay demonstrates a deep understanding of the articles, showcases your ability to construct a coherent and persuasive argument, and effectively uses examples from the texts as evidence. Support your analysis with properly cited references from the articles. Before submitting, thoroughly proofread your essay for grammatical, punctuation, and spelling errors. “The Heart and Science of Kindness” Melissa Brodrick Harvard Health Publishing, April 18, 2019 Kindness (noun): the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate; a kind act.— English Oxford Living Dictionaries Ombudspeople (neutral mediators) like myself have a unique view of the institutions they serve. Some of us fondly refer to it as the "view from the underbelly" of our organizations. The urgent calls we get aren't to share a recent act of kindness. Visitors who arrive at our offices often do so feeling under siege from less than kindly forces. We hear repeatedly of our visitors' desire to be treated with kindness, and of the wish that they could themselves rise above unkindness to be their best kind selves. Here, then, are some thoughts on kindness — how to give and receive it. Kindness starts with being kind to yourself Ever notice how much better you treat others when you've taken care of yourself? In a pressure-filled environment it's easy to work through lunch, work through dinner, and respond to emails at 11 pm. But the world often rights itself when we take a moment to breathe, assess what we need, and seek it. (Sleep? A relaxed meal, anyone?) Be kind to yourself when you misstep, which happens to everybody. Setting upon ourselves may cause collateral damage, making others the target of the anger or frustration or disappointment that we really feel about ourselves. It can feel good to direct these upsetting emotions away from ourselves and onto others, but for how long, really? Lead with compassion, follow with kindness Everyone has challenges, many hidden from sight. If you knew that your coworker delivering the curt response to a question or the snarky critique of a project had recently learned of a serious illness in their family, wouldn't you cut them some slack? And better yet, might you then want to reach out with support? When we are compassionate, we are recognizing our shared human condition. Compassion can guide us to acts of kindness. Maybe we keep our mouth shut instead of calling out the misdemeanor. Or we find a private time to ask if everything is okay. Sometimes kindness is offering to get coffee, or bringing back a cookie from a lunchtime workshop just because. We feel happier when we act in service to others A recent study reported on how people felt after performing or observing kind acts every day for seven days. Participants were randomly assigned to carry out at least one more kind act than usual for someone close to them, an acquaintance or stranger, or themselves, or to try to actively observe kind acts. Happiness was measured before and after the seven days of kindness. The researchers found that being kind to ourselves or to anyone else — yes, even a stranger — or actively observing kindness around us boosted happiness. Choose kindness While we may not have control over another person, we do have control over ourselves. What does it mean to be our best selves? Isn't being kind in the mix of choices we have each and every day? We can't make anyone else be kind, but that doesn't have to stop us from aspiring to be kind, no matter what. Give to give, not to receive The purest form of kindness may have no audience and offer no credit. Kindness to accumulate thanks is self-serving at best. Some may even say it's an effort to control or make the recipient feel indebted. But when we are kind even if — maybe especially if — there's no such payback, the rewards may be all the sweeter. I heard a story about someone who learned that a child from a family with very little money really wanted a bicycle. This fairy godparent bought a super nice bike and asked the shopkeeper to write a highly discounted receipt for an amount the family could afford. The family reimbursed the fairy godparent for the receipt price without knowing it cost far more. Now that's kindness! We become kinder with practice So, practice. Aesop, the ancient Greek storyteller, once said, "No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted." If random acts of kindness don't come easily to you, try this challenge: do one small, kind thing each day for someone. Then pay attention to the impact on you. Does it become easier the more you do it? Do you start to notice and act on more opportunities to be kind in your world? Do you start to feel lighter? Kinder? Kindness begets kindness Just as a bully of a boss can foster a culture of bullying and fear down the hierarchical line, so can kindness from one help to foster kindness in others. We often take our cues from leaders, coworkers, labmates, and others we live with many hours a day. Why not be the kind person from whom others take their cues? The one who helps people turn to one another in small and big ways that illustrate a spirit of generosity? Kindness is lasting When I was a terribly insecure and shy misfit of a college freshman, I was going through the cafeteria line by myself one fall day. When I got to the checkout, the woman at the cash register said, "You have such a pretty face." Now, over 40 years later, I still remember that unexpected moment of kindness from a stranger. Who do you remember most? And how do you want to be remembered? "The Art of Kindness" Steve Siegle Mayo Clinic Health System, May 29, 2020 Kindness is more than behavior. The art of kindness means harboring a spirit of helpfulness, as well as being generous and considerate, and doing so without expecting anything in return. Kindness is a quality of being. The act of giving kindness often is simple, free, positive and healthy. Good for the body Kindness has been shown to increase self-esteem, empathy and compassion, and improve mood. It can decrease blood pressure and cortisol, a stress hormone, which directly impacts stress levels. People who give of themselves in a balanced way also tend to be healthier and live longer. Kindness can increase your sense of connectivity with others, which can directly impact loneliness, improve low mood and enhance relationships in general. It also can be contagious. Looking for ways to show kindness can give you a focus activity, especially if you tend to be anxious or stressed in some social situations. Good for the mind Physiologically, kindness can positively change your brain. Being kind boosts serotonin and dopamine, which are neurotransmitters in the brain that give you feelings of satisfaction and well-being, and cause the pleasure/reward centers in your brain to light up. Endorphins, which are your body’s natural pain killer, also can be released. Be kind to yourself It is not just how you treat other people — it is how you extend those same behaviors and intentions to yourself as well. I believe you can be kinder in your own self-talk and practice gratitudeLinks to an external site.. People are good at verbally beating themselves up, and rarely does that work as a pep talk. Rather, negativity often causes you to unravel and may even create a vicious cycle of regularly getting down on yourself. You wouldn't talk to your neighbor the way you sometimes talk to yourself. This is what I call the “good neighbor policy,” which can be helpful. If you would not say it to your good neighbor, do not say it about yourself. Take action Simply asking "How am I going to practice kindness today?" can be helpful. For a homework assignment, I have invited some clients to pay attention and periodically document during the day their evidence of kindness to others and especially to themselves. This positive focus is like planting positive seeds in your mind garden. Where focus goes, energy flows. I recently was talking about kindness to a young client who asked if I wanted them to get on the ark. I asked what that meant. The client said, "Acts of random kindness." That was a great response from a young person. How about you? Are you willing to get on the ark? Consider joining Mayo Clinic Health System's Kickstart Kindness program to start your kindness journey. The program offers many ideas of how to extend kindness. Finally, I'd like to leave you with this quote: "Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible." —Dalai Lama