The notion of Reciprocity builds upon the same state
of mind required for ideas like Plus One.
While the latter focuses on the spread of positivity through random kindness,
Reciprocity moves one step further to build a system of equals and awareness, treating
kindness with kindness. Plus, one, plus many- and while keeping score was part
of the ‘fun’ and a source of encouragement for Plus One, there is no such thing
as tallying points when it comes to doing the right thing.
Reciprocity, put simply, is the golden rule. It’s been said before. Treat others as you wish to be treated. Individuals should strive to stand by their own words, and their actions should follow their code; at the very least, doing right by themselves and acknowledging the kindnesses they receive. Establishing such a code helps us to be aware of ourselves; monitoring our ability to follow that code, and treat others accordingly with it is what helps us to be aware of others. This awareness is a crucial step in allowing us to see other people as people, instead of just entities of no concern(or worse) simply existing in ‘our’ world.
Much of the strife in the world, all of the suffering, be it from want of resources, warfare, anything that stifles the people physically, emotionally, spiritually, economically and so on- all of such ills can be traced back to a situation where someone does not care enough about an ‘other’ in order to ensure their needs are met. This is a truth in both ‘polite’ and ‘third world’ society, where individuals are encouraged to be self-first, and while we are taught the golden rule as children, such a value is discarded in the adult world, replaced by selfishness disguised as ‘ambition’ or exploitation disguised as ‘cleverness’. Oftentimes, we pay little mind to how our actions are perceived by others, and yet when someone steps on our toes, literally or figuratively, we immediately take offense and ponder how they could be so careless as to not consider us.
Suffice to say, practicing Reciprocity in a positive manner, like many other things, it is a tool for connection; by associating ourselves with our character(the way we want to be treated) and our actions(the way we treat others), we can thereby associate ourselves with those others as people worthy of being treated kindly. And, much like the endgame of Plus One, the kindness and consideration we put out in the world can help encourage others to do the same; in this world where we do not consider one another, there are brief moments, when we, considered, find a space of peace, relief, and gratitude. Imagine if everyone could feel that way all the time when dealing with others.
If we are to reach such contentment, this is the way. Constant reminders from ourselves, to ourselves, to be mindful of our behavior. The acknowledgement of the kind behavior others perform. We must make this a natural frame of mind. We allow ourselves to see the good in ourselves and other people, and this brings us to interacting with them more often, and learning truthfully about them, instead of allowing our preconceived notions rule the day. These acts of kindness, and the communication that follows in their wake make it clear that we are willing to overcome artificial boundaries and limitations in favor of connection, which is what Acceptance Theory is all about.
Reciprocity, put simply, is the golden rule. It’s been said before. Treat others as you wish to be treated. Individuals should strive to stand by their own words, and their actions should follow their code; at the very least, doing right by themselves and acknowledging the kindnesses they receive. Establishing such a code helps us to be aware of ourselves; monitoring our ability to follow that code, and treat others accordingly with it is what helps us to be aware of others. This awareness is a crucial step in allowing us to see other people as people, instead of just entities of no concern(or worse) simply existing in ‘our’ world.
Much of the strife in the world, all of the suffering, be it from want of resources, warfare, anything that stifles the people physically, emotionally, spiritually, economically and so on- all of such ills can be traced back to a situation where someone does not care enough about an ‘other’ in order to ensure their needs are met. This is a truth in both ‘polite’ and ‘third world’ society, where individuals are encouraged to be self-first, and while we are taught the golden rule as children, such a value is discarded in the adult world, replaced by selfishness disguised as ‘ambition’ or exploitation disguised as ‘cleverness’. Oftentimes, we pay little mind to how our actions are perceived by others, and yet when someone steps on our toes, literally or figuratively, we immediately take offense and ponder how they could be so careless as to not consider us.
Suffice to say, practicing Reciprocity in a positive manner, like many other things, it is a tool for connection; by associating ourselves with our character(the way we want to be treated) and our actions(the way we treat others), we can thereby associate ourselves with those others as people worthy of being treated kindly. And, much like the endgame of Plus One, the kindness and consideration we put out in the world can help encourage others to do the same; in this world where we do not consider one another, there are brief moments, when we, considered, find a space of peace, relief, and gratitude. Imagine if everyone could feel that way all the time when dealing with others.
If we are to reach such contentment, this is the way. Constant reminders from ourselves, to ourselves, to be mindful of our behavior. The acknowledgement of the kind behavior others perform. We must make this a natural frame of mind. We allow ourselves to see the good in ourselves and other people, and this brings us to interacting with them more often, and learning truthfully about them, instead of allowing our preconceived notions rule the day. These acts of kindness, and the communication that follows in their wake make it clear that we are willing to overcome artificial boundaries and limitations in favor of connection, which is what Acceptance Theory is all about.
No comments:
Post a Comment