'Be kind, please rewind' and the fall of kindness in America
This phrase began the decline of kindness in American society. For those who are unfamiliar with it, this phrase was stickered on every rental video cassette in the relevant parts of English speaking North America. As the phrase proliferated, it devalued the idea of being kind.
The more that a word or words are used, the less they mean, and equating something trivial, like rewinding a video cassette, with a concept as grand as kindness was the worst thing that the now defunct Blockbuster and its ilk could inflict upon American society.
Exactly who was the beneficiary of this kindness was never made clear. The clerks behind the counter would have been happy to rewind the videos, especially as the industry faded, without costing the company any money. However, oftentimes, a video tape that had not been rewound would simply be rented to the next customer, and he or she would have to rewind it or watch from the point that that the last customer left off.
The problem is that no one ever questioned the inanity of the phrase. It rhymed, which is good for memory, but in didn’t really matter who rewound the cassette. The inconvenience for either person was minimal, amounting to fewer than five minutes at a time when the pace of life was dial-up and not broadband or 4G.
When people began to equate kindness with an act that had no clear beneficiary, everything became a kindness. Breathing out is a kindness to the trees. Eating hamburgers is a kindness to McDonald’s. Getting in a car and driving is a kindness to the road. All of these kindnesses are easy, so people feel justified in being unkind in situations that would require more work to be kind.
There is no easy way to be kind and rewind in real life. Kindness takes empathy, observation and care. Kindness takes love – something that is in short supply in the world of unsocial media and vanity reaffirming selfies.
We need to take back the phrase, make it new and realize that now more than ever people need others to be kind. Life’s journey is already difficult, and we cannot see what other people are going through. Adding a little kindness to their lives could make an immeasurable difference.
The more that a word or words are used, the less they mean, and equating something trivial, like rewinding a video cassette, with a concept as grand as kindness was the worst thing that the now defunct Blockbuster and its ilk could inflict upon American society.
Exactly who was the beneficiary of this kindness was never made clear. The clerks behind the counter would have been happy to rewind the videos, especially as the industry faded, without costing the company any money. However, oftentimes, a video tape that had not been rewound would simply be rented to the next customer, and he or she would have to rewind it or watch from the point that that the last customer left off.
The problem is that no one ever questioned the inanity of the phrase. It rhymed, which is good for memory, but in didn’t really matter who rewound the cassette. The inconvenience for either person was minimal, amounting to fewer than five minutes at a time when the pace of life was dial-up and not broadband or 4G.
When people began to equate kindness with an act that had no clear beneficiary, everything became a kindness. Breathing out is a kindness to the trees. Eating hamburgers is a kindness to McDonald’s. Getting in a car and driving is a kindness to the road. All of these kindnesses are easy, so people feel justified in being unkind in situations that would require more work to be kind.
There is no easy way to be kind and rewind in real life. Kindness takes empathy, observation and care. Kindness takes love – something that is in short supply in the world of unsocial media and vanity reaffirming selfies.
We need to take back the phrase, make it new and realize that now more than ever people need others to be kind. Life’s journey is already difficult, and we cannot see what other people are going through. Adding a little kindness to their lives could make an immeasurable difference.