Kindness

The term kindness originally indicated kinship or near relationship. It has come to refer to a complex emotional state, one of the dispositions constituting love, and is particularly used with respect to the love of a mother for her child. It has been postulated that as mankind progresses morally, then the circle within which kindness manifests also widens from the home ultimately to include all humanity and all creatures. Kindness does not necessarily entail softness or sentimentality, as is inherent in the aphorism "being cruel to be kind"; but is closely associated with pity and moral indignation. It may sometimes be used as a synonym for [affection]

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