“Carry out a random act of kindness, with no expectation of reward, safe in the knowledge that one day someone might do the same for you. “
Last week I was writing about the importance and power of having assemblies, of sharing messages and passing on good news. I’ll start this week where I finished (not quite like my hero Magnus Magnusson, but close). We started our Senior School assembly on Monday with a talk about kindness. Not from some earnest and worthy member of staff (like me) but from four of our Lower Sixth (Year 12) students, who I hope would not mind being referred to as “lads”. Now young men do not always get the best press these days, and they face their fair share of challenges in a world that seeks to define them and their thinking. They, like other groups, are bombarded with images, pressure is put on them around body image and all are meant to be self-confident to the point of arrogance. So, what a refreshing change to hear from four individuals who wanted to talk about both the importance of kindness within our community but also how it is essential for all of us to reap the personal benefits of being kind. In approximately eight minutes they covered definitions, a philosophy of kindness, the science of kindness and finished with an appeal to all of us to put into practice what they had told us.
This clarion call of hope was dampened somewhat by an article in The Guardian explaining how young men are targeted by algorithms on social media platforms that in turn point them towards sites of a misogynistic and violent nature. How depressing to think that the bright and talented individuals who build these sites are pointing our young people to content produced by small minded, nasty people who peddle their vile views presented as fact. The research teams from University College London and the University of Kent found that in the space of five days their test cases saw a fourfold increase in the quantity of misogynistic content being received. We live in a strange world indeed, and I wonder how young people have the strength to resist these powerful, malign influences. I’m usually struck by the maturity and clear headedness of our young people, but it falls to us all as adults to support them with the difficult task of decoding the waves of information and disinformation that crash daily over them.
On Thursday I had the great privilege of joining a group on the climbing wall. I hasten to add I was not in the ascendancy, but this group of young people provided some reassurance that they knew how to support each other, encourage each other and celebrate each other’s successes. How good to see this. Today I was also fortunate to speak with Year 2 about Neolithic settlements (lucky them) and they respond to the ideas of discovery and developing communities with enthusiasm and creativity. They appreciated the way in which Neolithic communities had to work together to ensure that all benefitted. It is therefore good to see that our young people understand the value of both community and kindness despite the best efforts of those who seek to influence.
Nicholas Hammond
Headmaster
