Random Acts of Kindness Day

I am bloody tired. It has been a long week at work. Graveyard shifts, some 10 hour. Yet I had to make a post about something I caught on the news before going to work. Normally I avoid the news, it is just too depressing or stupid. Sometimes both at the same time. I saw a story about Random Acts of Kindness Day and it made me angry.

You have to have a fucking day set aside to do "random" acts of kindness? Planned spontaneity? The whole point of random acts of kindness is that you see someone who needs help and help them for no other reason but the simple fucking fact that they need help.

If you actually set aside a day and plan out what you will do it is NOT a random act of kindness. Hell a lot of what I saw on the "news story" was a bunch of self-serving bullshit. "Ohhhh look at us we did ONE thing on a day set aside to do something. Aren't we nice people? See how nice we are and acknowledge it!"

One website promoting this "special day" posted some ways to perform "random acts of kindness. Here are some of the ones that stuck in my craw.

For Employers:

Treat everyone to coffee and donuts in the morning.

Allow your staff to leave a half hour early on November 4.

Send an e-card to your employees letting them know how much you appreciate them.

Why not let your employees know you value them by TELLING them when they do a good job? Why not organize your office so that year round you support a charity in your community?

For co-workers:

Share your “to die for” chocolate chip cookies with your cubicle mates.

Make a point of thanking a co-worker for their help on a recent project.

Make a point of thanking co-workers for their help? Make a point of sharing? What kind of a fucktard doesn't do that normally? Is common courtesy that uncommon?

For strangers

Purchase a meal for a homeless person. Now that is getting better ... but why only do it one day of the year? Why not make regular donations to a local food bank? Donate to a homeless shelter?

Let someone in front of you on the highway. Isn't that also common courtesy? Wow let 1 person in front of your car on one day of the year and you are a great humanitarian.

All this "special day" really does is allow people an out for not actually doing something to REALLY help others the rest of the year.

My ire was initially raised by the inanity of having a day called "Random Acts of Kindness Day". It then became directed at the whole concept. To me it doesn't really look like a day to do something for others it is more of a day where you can do something to make yourself feel better, look better to others, and then ignore your apathy the rest of the year.

It is the people who selflessly help others any time of the year that need to be recognized. But they won't be for the simple reason that they do NOT do it for the accolades. They do it because they see someone who needs a hand, help out, and do so for no other reason than someone needs help. They do it anonymously just because it is the right thing to do.

Random Acts of Kindness Day my ass. If this is what it takes for people to do something, anything, then they are a bunch of fickle fucktards looking to be noticed.

Now, I sleep.