Did anyone else see the guy on BBC Breakfast this morning? He started an internet club, whose members are supposed to 'commit a random act of kindness' every Friday.
Of course, I reckon you should commit random acts of kindness wherever and whenever needed...but it seems like a good idea to have that little reminder/ push that you must actively seek out someone on whom to perpetrate this kindness at least once a week.

Anyone up for such a thing? Does anyone already have a philosophy on this? Is it a good idea? Or should we not need to join a club to be unexpectedly kind to a stranger?

Give us an indication of what these random acts of kindness are and it might be easier to say whether we do them already. What some of us do naturally throughout the week may be considered 'acts of kindness' by others.

It never ceases to amaze me that the story of the good samaritan is still headline news to this day. I would consider it pretty poor if anyone crossed the street to avoid helping someone in difficulties.

I agree with you, Max, it should be that we are all as kind as possible to others. But we all choose our kindnesses...is it a handy moment for us to stop right then and volunteer to help someone even though we're really busy; do we only actually give help to strangers when it's asked of us, or do we proactively offer our help when it looks as though it's needed; do we keep our acts of kindness amongst our friends and simply offer other politeness and courtesy.

Random acts of kindness: I don't know - whatever's needed? Someone is crying in the street - being the only one to ask if you can help? Taking them for coffee even tho you're running late? Actually stopping and helping that motorist change their tyre/ push their car out of the way? Making balloon animals for bored children in the street? I should have thought the list was endless.

Acts of kindness ... should be of a genuine nature and spring naturally from the kindness of a persons heart ...

Kindness clubs ? Random acts of kindness on Fridays ... all sounds convoluted and unnatureal to me ... and it's coming from the 'wrong place' ...

If you're not careful ... unnatural random acts of kindness may cause more harm than good (and freak people out) ...

What you say is true, Jamie, but I sometimes think you need that extra push. Sometimes it's so much easier to think 'i'd help, but I'm a bit busy/tired/got a cold/on my way somewhere else/too shy.
Not that you need a club to get that extra push, but I think you do have to make a conscious decision sometimes to help. Other times you just do it because you're involved in the situation/ just feel like it.

A very kind woman helped me out the other day. Took time out of wherever she was going to see me right cos I was (slightly hysterical) about an accident that had just happened. When it was all sorted, she just slipped away. To me she was a hero. God knows how awful it would have been if she hadn't distracted me - don't want to think about it.
But I do think I'd have done the same for anyone else. We all have to look out for each other.

Can you do something kind for someone else just for self-gratification? If you're that selfish, why would you bother? And even if it started out that way, wouldn't the inevitable feeling of happiness for having helped someone else mean you'd do it for that reason next time? I wonder...

It's called JOIN ME or something similar - I mentioned this in a post a couple of weeks ago but nobody picked up on it.
Anyone know more?

This is for a book by Danny Wallace, who co-wrote "Are You Dave Gorman" and produced the show of the same name, along with the Dave Gorman Astrology Expriment. I have the book but haven't read it yet.

Apparently he just randomly decided to start a club, but had no underpinning reason to. So he put an advert in a paper that said JOIN ME - just send a passport photo. And strangely, people did. Why?

Then he decided as it got more and more popular that this club should have some purpose. And that it should do something good. So he decreed that every Friday would be made a good friday because all members must go out and perpetrate a random act of kindness.

And that's it.

Certainly makes you think tho, as we've been discussing. Is it good or bad to need a club? Can random acts of kindness cause more harm than good, etc.
Keep those opinions coming...

I think it's when it comes from your mind ... 'oh ... it's friday ... i'll go do some good' ... then you're on shakey ground ..

If it springs naturally from your heart and you're doing it because it's a natural expression of compassion, love and kindness you feel in your heart ... then that's a whole different ball game.

I've done the friday thing myself (well ... simular). Although never heard of 'JOIN ME' ...

I decided that I would do at least one selfless kind act every day. I think it has some merit ... but at the same time ... it did feel 'forced' and contrived.

I think it's more important to be natural than 'good'. Goodness and kindness are ... well ... good things ... but only it they come naturally with no effort or contrivance.

Thats my thoughts on the topic anyway !

Hello all, has anyone heard of or even better joined the "Join me" collective (it's not a cult you know)?

I'm just about to send of my passport photo to the leader and was wondering if there is a Sheffield Collective on the go?

If none of this makes the slightest sense, check out www.join-me.co.uk .

Looking forward to making someone slightly happier next friday!

BAAWWWWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHA!!!!!!11~1!!!!

That is some funny stuff there.I love the way people think randomly helping a stranger will make the world a better place.What if the person i chose to help was a rapist or a pedophile,would that make things so much better???/?

Oh yes. I hadn't thought about that. I mean, when you apply your indefatigable logic we are all probably better off ignoring everybody else.

Perhaps I could do a Random Act Of Kindness one week and crap on a random doorstep the next.

Well surely you'd be better off doing one of your random acts of kindness on someone you actually care about.Most strangers you'd would have forgot about it in a couple of weeks.What is actually involved in a random act of kindness???
That site is funny tho,"i thank you all from the bottom of my heart" LOL!!

Danny Wallace is Dave Gormans best mate and ex-flat mate, very funny guys both of em :thumbsup:

One word for it ... 'contrived'.

It's also un-natural and could actually upset people.

True Jamie true,

I feel I must take the risk though, so if next friday somebody annonomously washes your car, buys you a pint, pays for your cup of tea n toast down the cafe or whatever, I'm sorry if I upset you.

RPG - Spot on.

I would be deeply, deeply disturbed if someone anonymously washed my car. I agree with Janmie.

Depends how good a job they did :lol:

I thought there was a thread on this before christmas????

Originally posted by tslogf74
I agree with Janmie.

Who !?

The only free cheese in this world is in a mouse trap ... so people doing contrived acts of kindness would just put most people 'on guard' ... but spontaneous acts of knidness that come from a deeper level within us are usually better recieved.

I also seem to remember there being another thread on this not too long ago.