Sideways News

You can measure your niceness in units: they're called friends

When was the last time a stranger did something kind for you, such as giving up their much-coveted train seat? Modern life can feel like survival of the rudest. Do nice guys always finish last?

The aptly-named David Goodfellow set out to give grumpy Londoners a proverbial facelift, purely out of the kindness of his heart.

Why the Kindness Offensive?
David founded the Kindness Offensive, a group of friends who set out to help people for richer or poorer, with any task great or small. For example, Great Ormond Street hospital received over 100 new toys from them to help celebrate Ramadan this year.

The former philosophy student says: "The world is full of people who say things but don’t do anything. The way to become a better person is to believe that you are and act as if you are."

How did it start?
"My friends and I wanted to take action. So we dressed up in our outfits and stopped people on Hampstead Heath. We asked 17 people what they wanted and then we made it happen."

"One lady wanted a box of chocolates for her grandmother so we spoke to Browns and they created a special box. To date, we have given away 35,000 tonnes of food."

David lives with two other friends from the Kindness Offensive. Maybe the house will expand with more friends; like Fight Club, but for kind people. The only rule about Kind Club is that you have to be nice.

David suggests “Being kind has had 3,000 years of bad press. To be kind you have to be pious. We have to reinvent the idea of kindness."

Conscripted voluntary work
The idea of forced voluntary work jars with The Kindness Offensive.

“Conscripted voluntary work turns being kind into a chore. If someone is doing something they don’t want to do such as making a coffee, you get a big cup of sadness.”

"Many charities are very particular about who they help, the Offensive is open to requests from anyone."

“We get asked why we help middle-class people but we inspire them with kindness and they have the financial means to help other people.”

Harnessing the right sort of people
The Kindness Offensive also works with politicians and bankers which, in turn, helps to create a strong network that can be utilised to help people and raise awareness of The Kindness Offensive mission.

“Activist groups don’t seem to realise that a better world is going to involve politicians and bankers: they aren’t going to disappear.”

“Boris Johnson came along to the Christmas event and endorses 'Everyday Kindness'. It beats the hell out of saying 'let’s go to war'."

Where does the kindness come from?
A big inspiration is Tom Robbins, who founded a similar concept in the form of Battlefront, The Do-Gooder Army.

In a world where so many things seem to be wrong, it can be difficult to remain positive: yet David says “I’ve never had more friends than when I have been nice to people”.

Maybe nice guys don’t finish last after all.

SIDEWAYS News for fresh perspectives