"The end never really justifies the meanness."E. Duane Hulse
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Sunday, May 15, 2011
On the absence of kindness
This quote resonates with me for a whole lot of reasons. I suspect it may resonate with you, too:
11 comments:
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The meanness saddens me to my core. We are so quick to be mean as a culture. "And that's all I've got to say about that."
ReplyDeleteVery profound. And with the work I'm doing, in cyberbullying awareness, even more significant...I'll definitely remember this quote. May just borrow it for a workshop..
ReplyDeleteVery interesting. It says, in an eloquent way, "Is meanness worth it?". I don't think so. I think it's sad for all involved. The world would be a much better place with less anger and hatred aka meanness.
ReplyDeleteYou had me at "The End" those two words bring such a final sadness...this is really quite a deep, deep quote....even the other quote that's been around for a long time ending with means...both are great words for thought...for the moment I live for the mysteries in the middle.....!
ReplyDeletei see kindness around me all the time, but on a broader level i wish it was more celebrated. A lot of reality shows now reward cheating, conniving and backstabbing to win the biggest price (survivor for instance) that it make me wonder.
ReplyDeleteRightly suits Osama
ReplyDeleteis it generational, were so many of these people mistreated or poorly trained by their parents? a troubling puzzle
ReplyDeleteAMEN!
ReplyDeleteGood quote. I don't think it's generational so much as it's amplified over the past few generations, as instant gratification becomes easier and more readily achieved. It makes people tunnel-visioned and unable to see the bigger picture; that we're all inter-connected with each other and every other living thing on the planet. That said, being mean (or simply not mindful) doesn't hurt just the target, but all of us everywhere, including the one being mean in the first place.
ReplyDeleteThis reminds me of another quote of unknown origin: "It's nice to be important, but more important to be nice."
If people could get out of their skin every once in a while and see just how their self absorbed behaviour impacts the people around them, perhaps we could make some headway in this world.
ReplyDeleteMeanness is never a means. Someone can yell at me all day long and never get anywhere but offer me a hand or speak with kindness...the doors open.
ReplyDelete