Survival of the kindest

Around 42,000 years ago, a catastrophic climatic event hit our planet and wiped out four of the five species of humans that had been roaming the earth for up to 300,000 years.

The question that has long intrigued archaeologists is this: why was our species, homo sapiens, the only one to survive? Did we have bigger brains and greater cognitive power? No evidence of that. Could we run faster? Apparently not. Was it just a matter of luck?

Now a group of British and German archaeologists believe they have found the answer. We, alone among those five species, had developed the art of living in small, close-knit, mutually supportive communities. We had learned to cooperate, to care for each other, to share resources.

In essence, kindness was the magic ingredient in our survival, as it is still the essential ingredient in building and maintaining social harmony – in a school, a family, a neighbourhood or in society at large.

Kindness is anything we do to show other people that we take them seriously as fellow-humans. It might just be a nod or a smile, helping a frail person cross a busy street or listening attentively when someone needs to talk – anything that says: I see you; I hear you; we’re in this thing together.

It has nothing to do with liking each other! As Samuel Johnson wisely wrote 250 years ago: “Kindness is in our power, even when fondness is not.”

Pictured in header: Dr Hugh Mackay addressing the boys at Assembly

When you ponder (as I hope you will) ways of making the world a better place, you will naturally think about your career choice. In fact, the greatest contribution you can make to the health of our society is by showing kindness to all those you encounter – not only in your work, but in the community more generally.

Sydney Grammar School boys have a reputation for being smart. Let’s see if we can earn a reputation for being kind, as well.