Despite living in an age of instant communication and global connection, kindness is becoming an endangered virtue. In our fast-paced, results-driven world, kindness is often mistaken for weakness. 

I see more and more of this issue daily and in some of the most shocking ways. The lack of patience in our society, due to a society that thrives on instant gratification, plays a key role in this ongoing issue. 

Hustle culture glorifies self-interest and simple acts of kindness — in this busy and booming society — now feel like a rare commodity. 

Not only have we forgotten the importance of kindness; we have devalued it. It’s become a minute detail in everyday life. 

It’s not that people are inherently unkind — it’s that we’ve stopped prioritizing it. 

Too often we mistake kindness for weakness and patience is deemed a luxury rather than a necessity. 

As a server in the restaurant industry and a former retail worker, there is no longer a collective consciousness of how we speak or treat others. Somehow, society has neglected the art of being kind and moved into a more individualized and selfish culture. 

Normally I don’t face unfair treatment from customers, but an interaction created this thought: as a society, the rise of individualism, instant self-gratification and transactional mindsets have eroded society’s sense of collective responsibility. 

It was a busy Friday night, and after slinging margaritas to customers for hours, I had forgotten to grab a table salt and pepper shakers. While this seems like a minute detail, this was said table’s breaking point. 

After dropping it off and apologizing for forgetting, the table aired their grievance and explained their food might’ve tasted better with salt and pepper. 

Although it was passive-aggressive — and in my mind not a huge ordeal — I smiled, apologized again and went on my merry way. 

When did holding a door open for a stranger, offering a kind word, or simply acknowledging another person’s struggles become acts that are too frequently overlooked? We have grown accustomed to transactional relationships, where interactions are measured by what we can gain rather than by the connections we make. 

This once guiding principle of human interaction has become obsolete in this relentless pace of modern life. So, how do we fix it?

The decline is evident in our cultural driving motives. As humans living in the 21st century, we live in a time of proficiency, efficiency and ambition. 

On their own, these are not dehumanizing qualities, and they are needed in most senses; however, the issue comes into play when we disregard senses of empathy, grace and gentleness. 

The smallest frustrations become an outward expression, and kindness takes a back seat. 

Reclaiming kindness does not require grand gestures or sweeping societal change and can be implemented with small, individual choices. 

It means choosing patience over frustration, offering encouragement instead of criticism and recognizing that even the simplest expressions of goodwill can have profound effects. 

It requires us to see kindness not as an obligation, but as an integral part of a meaningful and connected life. 

Most importantly, we must model kindness for future generations. 

If children grow up witnessing compassion, they will understand that success is not measured solely by personal achievements, but also by how they contribute to the well-being of others. 

Teaching kindness is not about enforcing politeness; it is about instilling a mindset that values human connection and mutual respect. 

Kindness has not vanished — it has simply been pushed aside in favor of more tangible measures of success; however, like any lost art, it can be revived. It starts with each of us choosing, in big and small ways, to make kindness a priority once again. 

It requires effort, and it’s time to bring kindness back into style.