We Are Pre-wired for Kindness

Wow, I was excited when I read this in a book called Social Intelligence. Sometimes we forget when we turn on the TV but people innately care about other people. This is why we feel better after helping someone or involunarily smile when someone else does.

Interestingly, the other side of this, we also frown when we see a scary movie or feel sad when we hear bad news. What Social Intelligence is suggesting is that we feel empathy. This is a valuable trait for communicating and relating to others. But more importantly this was necessary for survival thousands of years ago… before widespread communication.

One look of horror from another person can be communcated with a single expression to hundreds of people. Without speaking, they all run… from say a pre-historic lion. This is an amazingly efficient form of mass-communication.

Even though we probably don’t need this sort of communication today… we need to beware of the way we are wired… we are all impacted by each other. A sour face, a critical glare, and harsh word — particulary to your little one — can have a real impact. Social Intelligence highlights how these external reactions translate into brain and body reactions — releasing stress hormones. We can actually get sick by being around negative people.

So what did I get out of this… a smile not only brightens my day but by daughters and everyone around me. And it can help make them healthier too.