Is KINDNESS necessary for SURVIVAL?

Question

Is KINDNESS necessary for SURVIVAL?

Answer

Short answer Yes.brbrThat is, cooperation is necessary. We sometimes refer to this as quotenlightened self interestquot.brbrA human being developing out of a social group would not survive Yea, Im sure there are exceptions, but they are rare. years ago, we depended on having big fast adult males around to protect the group just as we depend on groups of people to gather fruits and veggies, etc.brbrUltimately, we gain much from mutual cooperation and ultimately society is an extension of it.brbrI believe quotkindnessquot is simply an extension of society. That is, we dont have to know exactly WHY helping the people around us will help us in the end, but in the long run, it is a good idea.brbrSociologists may understand why, but most people dont really even know what sociology is.brbrIn addition, kindness is required to bring up children. That is, the human animal requires nurturing well beyond just mothers milk to survive. That interplay works throughout the family quotunitquot and extends to extended family, tribe, etc.brbrI believe that this interplay is required for an animal that isnt very fast, isnt very hardy and doesnt procreate terribly quickly. Our native intelligence that is, raw power without experience is a HUGE win ... but only in a society with a memory. As bright as we may be, we couldnt communicate or represent ideas symbolically without a history of communication and ... society.brbrWe fail, I believe, in our seeming inability to extend that to people across the world. That is, how I can see a next door neighbor someone who I see daily but has no relationship to me as significantly more in need of protection than someone in Yemen is beyond me.brbrOr lets put it more directly Why do we care more about dead American soldiers than dead Iraqis? What makes people in the US more worthy of money, protection and admiration than Iraqis?brbrClearly kindness has practical limits. Thats too bad.