What Cereal Goes Best With The Milk of Human Kindness? (Kately)

9/22/2019

Glamis thou art, and Cawdor, and shalt be
What thou art promis'd. Yet do I fear thy nature,
It is too full o' th' milk of human kindness
To catch the nearest way" (Macbeth Act 1, scene 5, 15-18) .

Translation:
"You will rule over Glamis and Cawdor, everything which is promised to you. However, your kind nature will not work in your favor. You must be ruthless if you want to get anywhere."

This line is spoken by Lady Macbeth, who advises her husband that if he wants to take the throne, he must take it by force. Killing hundreds of people in the process. Yikes.

But what's this talk of the "milk of human kindness"?

This phrase is used often in literature, to call someone "full of the milk of human kindness" is to comment on their gentle disposition.

They have been nurtured with kindness and intend to give back to their fellow man.

My question for you now is this: "In what way have been taught to be kind?"

Or rather, What kindness have others shown you? WHY are you kind? Do we even need kindness at all?

And please shy away from talking about common courtesy. Stifling a sneeze by stuffing your face into your inner elbow is a way to protect against the spread of germs and/or a group of people's sideways glances toward you. A self-preserving action.

Going out of your way to do something for another person, even if it isn't expected of you is excellent, but it can be as simple as a smile or hello in passing. Kindness doesn't have to be grand.

38 Comments

Faith

9/22/2019 09:51:30 am

Kindness is a such a strong power humans have. Showing one person a moment of kindness could change their entire mood or make their day. Without kindness, there wouldn’t be peace.
I was raised to be an independent person, which I believe made me a stronger person overall. Along with being independent, my dad could be the easiest answer to “in what way have you been taught to be kind”. He himself is an independent and strong human being, but always filled with kindness. No matter what was happening in his life, he would always show acts of kindness to everyone around him. He would make sacrifices in order to help me with my needs or wants. Of course all parents make countless sacrifices for their kids, but not once did my dad mention that he did. This taught me to be kind to everyone, make sacrifices for the ones I love, but never mention it because that’s just what kindness is. To me at least.

Ezra

9/22/2019 02:10:31 pm

its really amazing what you said about how kindness is a strong power humans have because I have never thought about it like that. The following sentence "Without kindness, there wouldn't be peace" is also something that I have never thought about, and it is amazingly true.

Alyssa Farnworth

9/22/2019 03:06:42 pm

Your dad sounds like an amazing person. I liked your sentiments about kindness going unmentioned, if a person does something to help another in hopes of getting something in return it is not true kindness. Do you feel there are more people who only do kind things for recognition or do you feel most people are just genuinely good?

Aiden

9/22/2019 04:07:28 pm

“Without kindness there wouldn’t be peace.” I believe that as well because with kindness comes love, understanding, and unselfishness. I hope to acquire some of these traits somewhere along my life.

Josephine

9/22/2019 09:58:51 am

The elderly are very important to me. They have given so much to society I feel the need to give back to them. There is an elderly man that lives down the street who loves music. I play gutair for him when I can, it warms my heart to bring a smile to his face. When my mom makes dinner we make sure to provide enough food for the elderly in our apartment block. I love listening the their stories, they are a source of living history that should be treasured. Last summer I was tuning my guitar, and I snapped my high e string. The man that I play guitar for noticed that I wasn't coming over anymore, and wanted to know why. So I told him that I had broken my string and I didn't have a replacement set. He then gave me then money to get my gutair restrung and cleaned. I am kind because it is right. There is enough pain, sadness, and cruelty that goes on in this world. If I can ease someone's struggles for even a second and put a smile on there face, it will all be worth it. The world without kindness would be a world that I would never want to live in. I have seen first hand the worst of humanity. I believe the human race could not survive without the kindness and compassion of others.

Tori Weir

9/22/2019 01:57:17 pm

Listening to the elderly is always interesting and sometimes can be a bit long. I know that over the summer when I was doing my senior project there are several fascinating stories that we could never imagine to go through. I also like that you play guitar for them and show them that you care.

Madicyn

9/22/2019 04:57:45 pm

My mom works with hospice care and they have an elderly woman that turned 100 years old this last June. My mom informed me that piece of information, and I wrote this lady a happy birthday letter. I asked her questions and wished her the best. After my mom gave it to her, the lady wanted to meet me. I was able to meet her in August, we sat and talked for hours. She gave me unforgettable advice and told me story after story. My small, simple action of kindness turned into an unforgettable moment of learning and life advice.

Kately Cockrell

9/25/2019 01:44:33 pm

That man seems kind, he probably finds joy in helping someone young do something they're passionate about. Kindness is not as common as it was, but it can even be found next door.

Aiden

9/22/2019 12:26:42 pm

2 Corinthians 9:7
Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

I believe it is human predisposition to want to give. Sometimes it’s hard to actually go through and give up something we care about such as our time or assets. This however makes the act actually feel kind. If we just think to do something that is good, but acting upon that natural want to help I feel is the kindness manifesting itself through our actions.

This being said I want to focus on what Paul is saying in his epistle to the Corinthians. That we give “not grudgingly, or of necessity,” That is profound to me. If we are asked to drop everything we have at any given time to go help someone in need it’s much harder than if we are doing nothing. If we spend countless hours in the mountains searching out huckleberries and after multiple days of planning, hiking, and picking the tiny berries then we understand the work behind it and cherish the small supply we have. If someone simply asked out of the blue if they could have some would we give them our heavily sought after berries? If they were easy to find and we had a surplus of them then it would be far easier than if we were in short supply. That is how I interpret giving of necessity.

To conclude, the human race as a whole wants to be good. We want to help, we want to do things so people will like us. We want to be accepted and loved so we do things that we don’t necessarily need to. Sometimes it’s a sacrifice. I can say that in my life I’ve given quite a lot and I’ve learned this for myself: giving is hard. The more difficult the sacrifice of kindness the sweeter it is for the giver and the receiver of the good deed.

Faith

9/22/2019 01:28:53 pm

I like how you talked about the example with the berries, you have a good point. To feel belonging is a human neccesity in itself. Humans really do have the inention to be good, but what is "being good?".

Ezra

9/22/2019 02:15:44 pm

Good job with quoting the Bible, Its almost like you are a professor. Also you have a very good point about humans wanting to be good.

Brax Kauffman

9/22/2019 03:05:12 pm

I enjoyed how you connected the Bible reference to your main point. My favorite part of your post was how you say the human race wants to be good. But do you mean that majority of people want to be good or that deeper down everyone wants to be and just doesn’t know how?

Josephine

9/22/2019 06:48:20 pm

I found your connections to the Bible extremely insightful. It is crazy the satisfaction one gets working for an item, obtaining it, then seeing the joy of others when giving it away. Kindness is truly beautiful.

Tori Weir

9/22/2019 01:13:55 pm

Kindness shows that people care and that no one is truly alone. I was taught to show kindness to everyone around me and to those who might not even deserve it. I watched as my dad would always go out of the way to help others and to give kindness to people who needed another hand on a project or anything. I know that when I had my mistakes and knew that I did not deserve compassion and kindness, my parents would always give me it. Along with a talk that would make me grow even more.
Over the years of watching my siblings, friends, and parents show kindness, I have learned that kindness can go a long way. It is important to have kindness in everything we do because it can make a difference with those around us. It can honestly change a person’s day and make them and us feel better. I know that I try to smile at people who pass me in the hallways. Although, I am too shy to actually start a conversation with someone who I do not really know, smiling and being friendly is what I try to do every day at school. Without kindness, people would be less empathetic, less giving, and helping out would not be out of kindness but instead out of owing someone or a chore. There would also be more ruthless, cruel, and unfair people in the world. Kindness, in other words, gives us another positive lookout and to feel better throughout the day.

Faith

9/22/2019 01:33:22 pm

My dad too would do these things to show kindness. Kindness really can go a long way, especially with someone who truly needs it. I like that although you are shy, you still try to be kind to everyone by smiling and being friendly.

Paige

9/22/2019 07:36:03 pm

I like how you said that kindness gives us a positive lookout. Goes to show that being kind does not only uplift those we are kind to, but ourselves as well. Do you feel that you are kind because of the the examples you have in your life, from your parents and siblings?

Ezra

9/22/2019 01:53:55 pm

Kindness is the act of going out of your way to do something nice for a person. I also think kindness is like doing something with someone even though I don't really want to. We all have had moments where we said we would go out with friends and hang out, and we have felt like canceling plans to do something else like sleep or binge a Netflix series. I feel that overriding the urge to stay home when it is the easy thing to do is kindness in its purest form. Another good example of kindness in my life is the fact that I live in North fork, but still drive to town to hang out with all my friends. Gas is expensive but I still give my friends the grace of my presence at football and volleyball games and just when we hang out.

Brax Kauffman

9/22/2019 02:12:35 pm

I would first like to say how grateful we all are for your sacrifices that keep our lives that much happier. I agree with your stance of what kindness and how it can be applied to everyday life. Who do you think has had the biggest impact on your character besides your parents and are there any specific moments that you can remember that have shaped how you behave ?

Tori Weir

9/22/2019 02:14:49 pm

Being kind to people can make a difference. Sometimes that even means sacrificing something for the other person. I liked that you mentioned that sometimes it is hard to want to give kindness when it is easier to stay at home.

Aiden

9/22/2019 04:03:47 pm

We really are lucky for people like you Ezra. Thanks for gracing us with your presence. Sometimes kindness is hard to achieve. I like how you said kindness in its purest form. Though I don’t necessarily agree that not staying home is pure kindness I understand the sentiment behind it and I think that sacrificing something you want to do for someone else is “pure” kindness.

Brax Kauffman

9/22/2019 02:07:45 pm

Kindness can be seen in a variety of ways depending on how you look at it. For some, it can be small everyday acts like helping a person carry a bag or helping someone out with their work. For others it can more of an overview of genuinely caring for the people around you and being willing to go out of your way to make their lives the best it can be. Like most people, most of my characteristics are derived from how my parents have raised me and other experiences I have had. I believe that overall kindness is more important than always making sure that you never do anything that would upset other people. No mater what, eventually you are going to do something that will make others angry and that is simply how life works at times. The only way that you would be able to never make someone upset, is if you never have anything to do with them or their lives. Everyone knows that humans make mistakes and learn from them. This is why I think that being genuinely kind is more important than faking small things just to make everyone happy. For example, I know there are times I say or do something that upsets people and goes to far; but I also know that my intentions are never to ruin someone’s day. It’s just to have fun and sometimes my personality doesn’t match up well with someone else’s and that’s okay. I believe that kindness stems from wanting the best for the people around you and willing to make some changes to your life in order for that to happen. While that may not always work out, it is something that I believe distinguishes kind people from those that aren’t.

Alyssa Farnworth

9/22/2019 02:57:38 pm

I enjoyed your commentary on not pleasing everyone. Despite what many believe kindness is not conforming yourself to be what others expect of you. Have you ever had an experience where not altering your personality lost you a friend? If not, do you think there are people who lose friends for that reason?

Sabrina

9/22/2019 06:54:17 pm

I drew parallels from your examples to our interactions. It's nice to know that you want the best for me, assuming you are being kind. I liked your assertions about the differences between kind people and not kind people. However, I think everyone is kind in their own way. Even the kindest people have enemies, and many people are just misunderstood.

Alyssa Farnworth

9/22/2019 02:43:15 pm

Kindness is the overall way we choose to treat other people. I have learned to be kind from my parents who raised me to love everyone, from people who have treated me unkindly, and from those who have treated me with total kindness. Kindness to me is just being a genuine friend, holding conversations, an understanding of other people’s experiences and viewpoints, and being willing to be there for a person. Many people mistake kindness for never angering another person, this is not the definition of kindness. The human race definitely needs kindness. Humans are social beings and without the connection kindness allows humans would not be as happy. Recently, there have been a lot of negative things happening in the world kindness does not solve the problems our world is having but it does bring people hope.

Andy Gebhardt

9/22/2019 05:56:07 pm

Your idea of kindness could go a long way in the world today if people would listen. I feel as though our world is very fast paced and so time is not taken to have those conversations with others. They could help solve many problems and contain arguments.

Erykah Foss

9/22/2019 03:11:26 pm

Acts of kindness reflect the good in people. Some are kinder than others, but most understand that living is much better when we get along. Kindness can be natural; however, it is usually taught by our parents. I have watched my parents conduct amazing acts of kindness: giving money to my family in the Philippines, cooking food for my friends, and helping my grandma when she needed it. I have learned from the past sixteen years how kindness can affect someone. I love smiling to people in the halls or when I'm walking on the street, just out of kindness. Recently, I found out that my smile could change someone's day, especially if they are having a bad one. Now, I try my best to keep smiling at people because I think spreading kindness makes life seem not as bad.

Madicyn

9/22/2019 05:05:23 pm

I am also a person that tries my best to smile at every person that I pass in the hallways, streets, stores, etc. What I have noticed in the cities, such as Washington D.C. or even Idaho Falls, people don’t have the time or patience to be kind to strangers like we have the tendency to be in salmon. They all seem too busy or stressed to take the moment out of their day and acknowledge another beings existence. It is quite sad and is my least favorite thing about larger communities. Do you think there is a way to spread more kindness? Or to help people accept random kindness?

Josephine

9/22/2019 08:52:19 pm

My mom has taught me kindness. Being a single parent she has sacrificed a lot for me. More than I will ever know for sure. Her kindness changes my whole outlook on life. Whether that is sending me little notes of encouragement or simply telling me she loves me. Her kindness has shaped me into the person I am today. My mom is a fantastic role model.

Madicyn

9/22/2019 04:51:09 pm

We always hear that kindness is free and a simple act to make someone else’s and your own day better. We are taught from young ages to be kind from our parents, schools, and other figures in our life. I remember hearing the saying “treat others how you want to be treated” in elementary school and it is one that has stuck with me for years now. Along with hearing that growing up, my mother, like the majority of us, has been a big impact on who I am and my opinion on the importance of kindness. My family and I have been in some hard spots in life within the last ten years, and that has taught me to be kind to everyone because you honestly do not know everyone’s story and what they’re going through in their lives. I also learned not to be judgmental towards anyone. I try to be kind to strangers every time I can, even if it’s a smile in the grocery store or paying for a customers drink randomly at Paradise. The world can be a dark place and sometimes a little bit of kindness can go a long way.

Andy Gebhardt

9/22/2019 05:53:05 pm

I appreciate your view on how you never know someone’s whole story. All we see when we look at someone is what they are choosing to show. There could be many struggles that they are dealing wit and no one has taken the time to ask how they are doing. It is a sad idea to think about but is probably truer with more people than we know.

Andy Gebhardt

9/22/2019 05:50:41 pm

Kindness and caring often refers to the idea of ethics. Ethics are doing the right thing when nobody is watching regardless of the situation. I think many times this can be hard for us because nobody will know we’ve done the wrong thing. I am sure everyone has had a moment like this. I have broken things around my house before and never told anyone but eventually someone finds out. This is similar to kindness because of selfishness. We do so much for ourselves and often do not think about others. Our own “survival” needs come before being nice to others and lending a helping hand. One instance I specifically remember from last summer was with a flat tire. I was driving home from work when the truck in front of me suddenly blew its tire and swerved to the side of the road. Just a week prior to this I had gotten a flat myself and so didn’t hesitate to stop and help the man with his tire. Showing compassion and lending a helping hand is not uncommon with many people today but it definitely is not the norm. I also think that in Salmon it is more common than other places because we have a very tight knit community. Knowing that is nice and so I will always try to give help where I can. What could our world be like if everyone lived like this and did not just live for selfish gain?

Sabrina

9/22/2019 06:44:16 pm

I like your example of the tire. This shows that kindness is usually born through empathy. If someone else is going through something that we've been through, it's a lot easier to show kindness. Humans are empathetic creatures.

Sabrina

9/22/2019 06:19:09 pm

Kindness is one of the easiest and most difficult things to achieve. I believe it is an attitude or an outlook on life. True "acts of kindness" happen when someone is in a kind mindset. Sometimes people can be affected positively by others' efforts to look good for the public, but this can't be considered a true act of kindness because it wasn't performed in a kind mindset. It was done for selfish reasons. While these acts are beneficial and probably necessary in the overall scheme of things, they aren't what make the world go round. Sometimes I get in such a good mood, or a kind mood, that I will be looking for opportunities to serve and perform acts of kindness simply because I want to do good. I believe this is a learned attribute. We are taught to be kind by our mentors, or not. We are products of our examples, so we need to try and be good ones for those around us.
There are those people in this world that seem to always be in a kind mood. Is that achievable Yes, to an extent. No one can constantly be good. We all mess up or get offended and rage. However, I think aiming for that mindset is a worthy goal. Absence of kindness is what makes people lose purpose in this world, whether it be always being in a bad mindset, or never feeling kindness from others. Being kind is one of the most underrated and important priorities ever.

Paige

9/22/2019 07:30:11 pm

I liked how you noted that "kindness is one of the easiest and most difficult things to achieve". I believe it is up to the person whether or not they are kind. Just like happiness, kindness is a choice.

Erykah

9/23/2019 02:20:58 am

Sometimes it's hard to be kind when we're in a bad mood; that's what makes us human. I have definitely experienced times where I wish I could be more kind but other emotions were distracting me. I think we should all strive to be kinder to each other because it could make others kinder.

Paige

9/22/2019 07:26:04 pm

I believe kindness is an admirable quality that tends to be forgotten by many. I feel my kindness started with my parents and their continual persistence to have kind children and to instill that attribute into our heads and overall being. Overtime, I soon realized the importance of kindness in everyday life and felt it was necessary to be kind to everyone.

Even without being taught, I believe a child would develop kindness. Without parental pressure, a child would recognize kindness and proceed to develop the attribute, at least for a time. I feel there is kindness within all of us to some degree. There are just some individuals who do not express kindness as well as others.

Kindness, according to google dictionary, is defined as "the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate". Without kindness, I feel as if happiness would cease to exist. If the world was filled of hatred and cruelty, how could someone find happiness? They could not. For that reason, as well as many others, I feel that kindness is essential.

Overall, I feel kindness is essential and found all over the world in everyone and everything.

Erykah

9/23/2019 02:32:28 am

We need kindness for an enjoyable life. Without kindness, I imagine a dull world where every person is sad or worried about themselves, never thinking about others. I'm grateful that my parents are kind because I have helped many people out of kindness.It makes people feel good, which is why it's important to be kind when it is achievable.

Kately Cockrell

9/25/2019 01:38:40 pm

Parents truly are the greatest role models in our lives. Your family seems wonderful, I agree with your parent's sentiment. Kindness is a virtue becoming less common these days.

Author

Write something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview.

Author

Write something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview.