The story about the student who made the vegan donuts was especially instructive. My main resistance to challenges to do random acts of kindness is that the examples are often so commercial and consumerist. I would rather contribute my money to a soup kitchen than to a coffee shop like St*rb*cks. And yet even acts like that can seem superficial, as they fail to address the root causes of poverty and suffering. And more creative alternatives are also daunting. The main challenge may be to find one's best personal fit, balancing short-term and long-term responses.
ORIGINAL COMMENT
The story about the student who made the vegan donuts was especially instructive. My main resistance to challenges to do random acts of kindness is that the examples are often so commercial and consumerist. I would rather contribute my money to a soup kitchen than to a coffee shop like St*rb*cks. And yet even acts like that can seem superficial, as they fail to address the root causes of poverty and suffering. And more creative alternatives are also daunting. The main challenge may be to find one's best personal fit, balancing short-term and long-term responses.