Kind or Right ?The question of whether or not it is better to “be kind or to be right” comes up time and time again.
The question of whether or not it is better to “be kind or to be right” comes up time and time again.
This is a really hard question for me to answer. I think the biggest conflict comes, for me, in that I generally believe that being honest and truthful is the kind thing to do (long term). I think the short term, and easier approach (in the sense that you just concede) is to just tell the other person exactly what they want to hear.
But is that really kinder?
Is confirming the other person’s beliefs the nicer thing to do?
My thought is that sometimes yes. But, at least for me (big caveat), I rather here the truth than the “kind thing.” I rather not be “social gamified” into thinking a certain thing, just because it was the kind answer.
I rather know the right answer.
But, I realize that is just me. I am a truth-seeker because I have found ways to detach my ego in many circumstances. That does not mean, however, it is always best to be direct and ‘right.’
Sometimes, it is better to do the kind thing. When though?
This is the challenge for me. I cannot always avoid the “right” for the kind. I find that too extreme for me.
So rather, I try to be kind when trying to be right hurts the other person in anyway.
I am curious your thoughts on this!
Originally published at gonen.blog.
By jordangonen on December 26, 2017.
Exported from Medium on February 17, 2018.
