Want a kinder world? Then seek help

As the dust settles on the US presidential election, Americans are counting the cost of mean-spirited and negative campaigning. Donald Trump was successful in generating not just hatred towards immigrants and "nasty women" but hatred towards "The Donald" himself, which in turn has added to the stock of enmity in the US.

But could he, perversely, have provided a clue to creating a more caring and benevolent society? If one can promote acrimony by brashly lording it over others then is it possible to spread kindness by humbly seeking people’s help?

Dr Seán Moran, lecturer in philosophy at Waterford Institute of Technology, certainly believes in the latter, arguing that we need to rethink the way we look at benevolence. A kind deed is traditionally regarded as a type of transaction between an active do-gooder and a passive recipient of help. But Moran suggests the beneficiary of kindness deserves our praise too –- as he or she is enabling others to be benevolent.

Invoking Aristotle who saw kindness as a source of happiness and an intrinsic part of the “Good Life”, Moran sets out his theory thus:

Premiss 1: Being benevolent is part of living an enjoyable Good Life.

Premiss 2: If we are truly benevolent, we will also want others to enjoy living a Good Life.

Conclusion: To help others to live a Good Life, we should encourage their benevolent acts towards us.

Moran has put his theory to work by actively seeking help, or making himself vulnerable in everyday situations in the community, for example, by asking a homeless heroin addict to watch over his laptop while buying a coffee in a cafe. A course of such exercises might be just the cure for spiteful politicians and cynical people everywhere.

What makes benevolence inherently good?

Seán Moran: "The word 'benevolence' comes from the Latin for 'good will' (benevolentia). And the benevolent person bestows happiness on human society, according to David Hume. We surely need more of that virtue in our troubled times.

"But this bestowing of happiness is not all one way: Aristotle feels that being virtuous is good for the virtuous person too. So it is part of living a flourishing 'Good Life' to make other people happier. As the Dalai Lama says, 'If you want others to be happy, practise compassion. If you want to be happy, practise compassion'."

You argue that “to be truly benevolent we should solicit others’ benevolent acts”. How so?

“It sounds a bit paradoxical, doesn’t it? But there’s a logic to my claim. It’s good for us to be kind to others; part of living the Good Life. And, if we are truly benevolent, we will also want our fellow human beings to enjoy living the Good Life. So, we want them to show kindness too.

“Thus we might sometimes encourage their benevolent acts towards us. That will improve the wellbeing of those we meet – and, happily, our own wellbeing too. Everybody benefits.”

What are the implications, then, for how we go about our business: Should we actively seek help from others?

“Yes we should; particularly from those who don’t have many opportunities to show benevolence. We could simply ask a chosen cafe customer to watch over our belongings while we buy another cappuccino, for example.

“I did exactly this recently and I gave my new acquaintance a filled loyalty card, so that he could have a free coffee for guarding my laptop. It led to my first and last conversation with him. He asked me what I was writing about. When I said ‘benevolence’, he misheard it as ‘Ben Nevis’ and started chatting about mountaineering.

“We had a laugh about the misunderstanding, and he went on his way. I was shocked to hear a few days later that the guardian of my property had subsequently died of a heroin overdose.”

Is modern society providing less opportunities for benevolence, do you think?

“Yes and no. Sometimes we concentrate on technology-enhanced individual self-sufficiency, and ignore others. But we can spread benevolence via social media too. On balance, though, it is the personal contact that counts. So, we could leave behind our Google Maps and GPS when visiting a strange city, and instead ask a local person for directions. They can then show benevolence and so participate better in the Good Life.

“There are some risks, but the potential benefits can outweigh these. For example, I have travelled alone in places such as Iraq on academic visits, and had a marvellous time thanks to benevolent locals.

“I did wear an Irish tricolour badge, but they thought it was the Italian flag.”

It’s typically said that “it’s better to give than to receive”. Is it actually better to receive than to give?

“I think that the two actions are linked. Yes, it is certainly good to give. But it can be patronising always to be the giver and too proud to receive help. The ideal is to be part of virtuous circles, in which we both give and receive.”

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Ask a sage:

Question: Should one vote for an “anti-establishment” candidate?

Aristotle replies: A plausible impossibility is always preferable to an unconvincing possibility.

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Twitter: @JoeHumphreys42