The Kindness Revolution Book Launch – Review

Erasmus was recently fortunate to have a visit from Hugh Mackay to discuss his latest publication, The Kindness Revolution.

While Mackay has a grand call to action, his message is based on the practical expressions of kindness; how we relate to one another, to those we know and importantly, to those we do not know. Mackay reminds us that our capacity for kindness to strangers is at the very heart of our humanity.

A year filled with Bushfires and the pandemic is Mackay’s muse, he weaves through many examples of kindness; the rejuvenation of the neighbourhoods, people reaching out despite distances and the many individual sacrifices made for the greater good. The sudden increased expressions of kindness don’t have to be fleeting, Mackay proposes that instead of being the “lucky” country, we strive to become the loving country.

To harness the momentum of kindness, Mackay has created a practical C-A-R-E model; Connect to each person you interact with, Accept your fellow humans as they are regardless of the differences, Respect should always be exchanged because of our interconnectedness, it cannot be given selectively, Engage with your neighbourhood and your communities.

Ultimately Mackay’s message is optimistic; if we all choose kindness, we can create the country we want and need. The substantial attendance of attentive listeners on a very cold Friday night was itself an expression of hope for a kinder world.

Thank you to one of the attendees for this eloquent review, and thanks to all who ventured out last Friday night, making this another wonderful event as part of our 25 year celebrations.