Anyone who thinks kindness is sign of a political ideology may have had some virus entering their brains and setting up a pantry there. That is because kindness inhabits everyone, even if not always, including those who think nonsensical things as kindness equals political belief. 

Scientific proof? Many, but this research in the journal Nature shows that human kindness is as old as human time. They show proof that in various communities of hominins millions of years ago – which includes not just the 200,000 year old species Homo sapiens, the species we modern humans came from. Even Neanderthals cared for their sick and vulnerable. They took care of each other as a strategy for disease control. It is why and how our kind survived diseases, including pandemics, throughout the stretch of history. 

Ancient human fossils show that these humans, including one with Down Syndrome and a rare paralyzing disease, would have not survived if no one took care of them. We took care of each other. We did that because we were smart and we were kind. We knew that it is only by helping each other that we can survive enormous tragedies. And it was also a part of the lives of our minds to seek things that made us feel good, and even if we did not know why or how, kindness to others did make us feel good.

One tragedy of being human is we are tribal – we like to divide ourselves along many lines. An all too common line is the rich-poor divide, whether individuals or states. And when we find ourselves in either tribe, who do you think gives more? 

Studies have shown that the poor are much likely to give more than the rich. One study found that the poor were more helpful, trusting, generous, and charitable because they felt more compassion towards others, because they were also living in the context of those other people whom they wanted to help. Another study even went so far as to investigate specific body responses that showed compassion and their differences between upper and lower class individuals. And indeed, it showed that lower class individuals generally felt more compassion for others. 

This is not to say that the rich do not give. Obviously, the rich give, but not at the risk of denting their own status. According to the studies, the poor seem to give without thinking much that what they’re giving to another already endangers their own survival status. To give and not to count the cost. Isn’t that one definition of kindness? 

A 2018 study also proved that the poor would be more willing to give more than the rich but offered a “colder” possible explanation for that. It revealed that those who have more, especially if they worked so hard for it, would want to keep theirs, while those who have less look at “giving” as a “cooperation strategy” so they could improve their lives. While interesting, I highly doubt in the case of our community pantries that the person who drops off two packs of noodles to contribute to others’ welfare would be thinking of that as his bold “strategy” for upward mobility.

Kindness is part and parcel of being human – whatever your persuasion or status in life is. Each of us may not always be kind 24/7, but it is part of the human character to consider it every chance we get. That is the price of being complex – we make decisions based not only in terms of obvious rewards, as we also put a premium on the invisible gifts of being kind to others. 

C elegans is the most studied worm in science, and we use it to study how the brain works because it only has 302 neurons. Humans have 86 billion neurons and in the many connections it makes, one of the chrysanthemum-like gestures it is capable of is kindness. It is a fundamental act affirming to yourself that you are indeed part of this wonderfully complex tribe called humans, and that regardless of your social class or political persuasion, you are capable of a kind act or recognize one, at the very least. 

The concept of places as “nation states” only started in 1648. Political ideologies that plague our consciousness now started to form roughly in the ideas percolating in the 1700s. Evidence for human kindness has been found in fossils a million years ago or more. Kindness is embedded in our DNA. It is a tale as old as human time – unfortunately, just as being mean is. – Rappler.com

Maria Isabel Garcia is a science writer. She has written two books, “Science Solitaire” and “Twenty One Grams of Spirit and Seven Ounces of Desire.” You can reach her at sciencesolitaire@gmail.com.