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Kindness In Olivia Judson's The Selfless Gene

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Kindness In Olivia Judson's The Selfless Gene
Kindness is a virtue. Among humans, this trait is remarkably important when it comes to the care and treatment of one another in a set community. As these communities evolve, it has been seen that the kinder, more positive group has thrived and therefore will continue to prosper. Many agree that we all obtain the quality of empathy, but it’s whether we choose to show it or not is what makes the difference. This discussion of kindness is seen in Olivia Judson’s passage, “The Selfless Gene”. Within this short passage, Judson discusses that empathy is deemed to be innate in humans. However, many argue that empathy is more of a choice, and we can choose whether to feel it or not. This ideology is expressed in Daryl Cameron’s, “Empathy Is Actually …show more content…
Baboons and chimpanzees, who are famous for being closely related to humans, embody the symptoms of kindness among their peers. Within "The Selfless Gene", written by Olivia Judson involves the discussion and break down of the relationship between kindness and survival, as seen in humanly related species. The author states, “At the least, the evolution of social living requires limiting aggression so that neighbours can tolerate one another. And often, the evolution of larger social groupings is accompanied by an increase in these subtly and complexity of the ways animals get along together.”…”Consider baboons…baboons have evolved complex social lives.” (287) Judson goes into depth, explaining the many social skills that baboons are equipped with. One of these qualities is a pack mentality, which allows animals, such as the baboon, to perform best in designated groups for better chances of survival. Kindness is a byproduct of this sectional living. This behaviour can be compared to human activity in means of stating in a certain group or "herd". Judson discusses the importance of helping one another by stating later on in her passage, “Bowles shows that groups of supercooperative, altruistic humans could indeed have wiped out groups of less-united folk.” (289) Living in these groups can help lead others become kinder to one another, since they are with familiar people, in familiar

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