Fred Rogers, the host of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, is famous for his gentleness and kindness towards children.
But what I remember most is not the show he made,
but the way he lived.
Before every filming session, he would take the time
to shake hands with each crew member —
from the doorman to the backstage assistant.
“I don't just make a show for children,” he said,
“I live with that show,
starting from how I treat the first person I meet every day.”
In a media world frantic for ratings,
Fred chose to slow down.
A glance.
A touch.
A thank you.
And perhaps that is why he is never outdated.
Kindness does not need optimization
Today's world is obsessed with efficiency, speed, and scalability.
In that world, kindness becomes something… lonely.
Kindness is not faster.
Not cheaper.
Not measurable by OKRs.
Not improved through A/B testing.
It doesn't make you richer.
Nor does it make you more famous.
But it reminds us:
I am living with a human — not a system.
Every time you hold the door for someone.
Every time you call the right name of the server.
Every time you pick up the phone just to ask:
“Are you okay?”
Instead of texting a quick “ok”.
You are holding something precious:
The human interface.
The human interface is something AI cannot fake
AI today is incredibly skilled.
It writes well.
Replies to emails quickly.
Imitates your voice perfectly.
But it can't shake lightly
when first shaking hands with a stranger.
It doesn't look into your eyes and quietly realizes:
“You are sad today.”
It has no fault.
No hesitation.
There is no real life present.
And that's why —
it will never be 'present'.
The handshake is a bit shaky.
The gaze is misaligned.
The voice stutters a bit.
That's not a fault.
That's proof that: you are still alive.
In a smoothly and frighteningly perfect world,
a rough, scarred human,
is the most beautiful and precious thing of all.
Presence is an antidote to the fragmented age
You don't need to live faster.
You just need to… be present.
Sit there.
Listen to someone talk.
Not looking at your phone.
Not timing.
Just listen.
As if the person in front of you
is the only one who needs you right now.
True presence is an ancient skill.
It is present in prayer.
It is present in meditation.
It is present in healing ourselves.
And in the digital future,
it will be a vital antidote.
Because you cannot outsource living your life.
Kindness is an intrinsic value — not a strategy
If you are kind just to be liked,
that is not kindness.
If you hold the door because “someone is watching”,
you are building an image — not a quality.
Kindness does not require ROI.
Kindness is how you choose to act
according to the identity you want to uphold —
even if no one is watching.
How you write emails.
How you apologize.
How you don't participate in gossip even though it's very easy to please.
Those small things
are where you are really building yourself.
The End
One day,
people won't remember
how many files you submitted on time
or how many goals you achieved.
They will remember:
you looked at them as if…
they truly deserve to be seen.
Fred Rogers didn't just make a show.
He lived in the show.
You don't need to shake hands with everyone every morning.
But you can start with something very old:
Hold the door for the person behind you.
Then come back. Smile.
As if…
you have time.