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[cynicuniverse]

   Acts of kindness always have ulterior motives.

   In a band, the bass line and drums are always the most important part of the band. Like glue and a paintbrush, they work together to hold their fellow band mates together.

   In fact, in a bagpipes and drums band, the bass drum is the sole thing keeping everyone together; the bagpipes, the tenor drummers, and the snare drummers.

 The bass drum is the very pulse of the pipe band. In fact, Scottish pipe bands during wars would place the bass drummer in the center of the formation, so even if all of the bagpipers and other drummers were shot at and killed, the bass drummer would have been shielded. This way, the marching soldiers could always hear the bass drum, and march on, brave and unafraid.

  However, this is done as an interest of self preservation. In order to assist the Scottish troops, the bass drummer needs to stay safe. A Scottish army would rather 15 pipers and drummers to die, than one bass drummer. All in the interest of self preservation. This, in itself, is an act of kindness with ulterior motives. The bagpipers and other drummers would die in order to protect the bass drummer, but only to win the war.

   Similar to how bass drums and bass lines hold bands together, kindness holds the world together. As human beings, we need to be kind to each other in order to perpetuate our species. This in itself is an ulterior motive, as we need to do everything possible to make our species last as long as possible. Acts of kindness with inevitable ulterior motives in our society not only give us the motivation to march forth, but are literally the reason that we’re alive.

   Whether you realize it or not, ulterior motives in acts of kindness are always present, like the pulse of a bass drum beating through our society, motivating and marching us forward. 

[cynicuniverse]

kindness; an analogy

kind·ness

ˈkīn(d)nəs

noun

the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate.

The dictionary defines kindness as ‘the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate.’ 

At its face value, perhaps that’s what kindness actually is.

However, the world is more complex than that. Nothing on this earth should be taken at face value.

   In fact, I would go as far as saying that all acts of kindness always has ulterior motives. Whether you’re volunteering, helping to carry someone’s groceries, or simply letting someone merge into your lane, all of these acts of kindness have some form of an ulterior motive.

   However, having an ulterior motive when performing an act of kindness isn’t  always a bad thing. This comes as a shock to most, as during childhood, many of us were taught to be kind simply for the sake of being kind; no strings attached. Of course, the different ulterior motives behind acts of kindness can vary greatly, however, not all ulterior motives are purely wholesome, or purely corrupt. Ulterior motives are millions of shades of platinum, shimmering grey in a monochrome sunset, not the trees and hills that boarder and bezel it. 

   While reading John Green’s ‘Turtles All the Way Down’, certain aspects of the book stood out to me. This includes not only Aza’s (the main character) spur of the moment actions, but premeditated actions throughout the book as well. For example, Aza and her best friend Daisy, are pining after a hundred-thousand-dollar reward. In order to obtain the reward, they need to provide evidence to help find billionaire and CEO, Russell Pickett. Aza and Daisy are both dead-set on receiving the reward; “Our destiny is coming into focus. We are about to live the American Dream, which is, of course, to benefit from someone else’s misfortune” (Green 23). 

   Although Aza and Daisy are dedicated to finding an important missing man, which I perceive to be an act of kindness, there is a massive ulterior motive behind their actions. Their main motivation behind committing an act of kindness is for monetary gain. This does not invalidate their act of kindness, however, it does make their actions not altruistic. Their source of motivation is not pure, even if their outcome was beneficial to their world around them. 

   Overall, Turtles All the Way Down was a revelation for me. This book brought me a previously unknown truth about kindness to me, which is that kindness always has ulterior motives. The gain that Aza and Daisy constantly pine for brought truth to my eyes about acts of kindness in the world.

Green, John M. Turtles All the Way Down. Penguin Publishing, 2017.