November 13th is World Kindness Day and November 16th is the International Day for Tolerance. We will examine what kindness is, what tolerance is, and ask if we need a “day” to commemorate these ways of being.
We would be very surprised, at AMS, if one of our employees were to report experiencing cruelty on the job. If any employee is having the experience of cruel treatment, we encourage the employee to speak to their manager, contact HR or our CEO, or report it to our confidential hotline. Kindness is a natural way of being and we expect it from all of our AMS family. We also will not tolerate intolerance.
Kindness is Natural
With that said, let’s see what Google does with World Kindness Day: “World Kindness Day will be celebrated around the world on November 13, 2024. First introduced in 1998 by the World Kindness Movement, World Kindness Day offers an opportunity to highlight good deeds in the community and the common thread of kindness.”
It is a pleasant chore to look for the good deeds that have been done. We found some enjoyable content at the Random Acts of Kindness website [LINK].
“But, what if we started being intentional about not only noticing and absorbing them (acts of kindness) when they happen to us, but creating those moments for others? What if we made it a point to go slightly outside of our comfort zone at least once a day to make someone smile? To share a compliment with a co-worker or friend? To reach out to a family member we haven’t spoken to in a while? What if we stopped thinking about them as random acts of kindness and started thinking about them as intentional acts of kindness?
“There are things we do every single day with intention, yet we don’t even think about them. We wake up, take a shower, brush our teeth, get dressed, drive to work or school… all part of our invisible routine. What if we added a moment of kindness to our invisible routine? What if we woke up and as we turn the alarm off, we immediately send an uplifting text message to a friend? Or during the morning commute, what if we let that guy merge into traffic with a wave and a smile instead of feeling upset or slighted?”
We all know what kindness feels like and we love to give and receive it. But what about tolerance. How did that “Day” come about and what did the creators seek to achieve?
The “Day” for Tolerance
Here’s what Google gives us in a search for the definition of tolerance and the purpose of the International Day for Tolerance:
“DEFINITION: the ability or willingness to tolerate something, in particular the existence of opinions or behavior that one does not necessarily agree with. “the tolerance of corruption”
“PURPOSE: In order to generate public awareness, emphasize the dangers of intolerance and react with renewed commitment and action in support of tolerance promotion and education, the United Nations solemnly proclaimed 16 November the annual International Day for Tolerance.”
Certainly the “Day” wasn’t created to encourage us to tolerate corruption. In fact there are more than a few things we need not tolerate… cruelty for example, as previously mentioned. Let’s go to the UN and see what they intended with the encouragement of tolerance. This is a statement from the Secretary General Ban Ki-moon [LINK].
“Societies are ever more diverse – but intolerance is growing in many places. Sectarian tensions can be found at the heart of many conflicts, with the rise of violent extremism, massive human rights violations, and cultural cleansing. And the biggest crisis of forced displacement since the Second World War has spawned hatred and xenophobia against refugees and others.
“Tolerance is much more than passively accepting the other. It brings obligations to act, and must be taught, nurtured and defended. Tolerance requires investment by States in people, and in the fulfilment of their full potential through education, inclusion and opportunities. This means building societies founded on respect for human rights, where fear, distrust and marginalization are supplanted by pluralism, participation and respect for differences.”
Tolerate Our Differences
Engaging in Tolerance, as encouraged by the UN, is what we are asked to do when it comes to cultural differences, political differences, ethnic differences, racial differences, gender differences, and so on. The following language is from the UN proclamation:
“The idea of tolerance is deeply rooted in the fabric of the culture, heritage and traditions. The principles of peaceful and tolerant education also apply to educational content produced in conflict-affected areas. It is inarguably important that this material is free from inaccurate, biased, or discriminatory depictions of different groups in society and that students are taught the values of peace, responsible citizenship, equality, and tolerance in all circumstances. In conflict zones, peace education aids peacebuilding and conflict resolution. Attitudes promoting peace, tolerance, and non-violence range from a national to an international context or one that blurs the lines between the two.”
Perhaps the day will come when we Appreciate and learn from our differences. Let’s enjoy creating a few acts of kindness on the 13th and on the 16th let’s let go of the judgmental intolerance of differences, including those political differences that recently rocked our world.
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AMS Fulfillment is a Certified B Corporation, dedicated to People and Planet before Profit. We work to B the Change we wish to see in the world.
