Evil Kindness

Xuefeng

"The noble die for their confidants" —as someone influenced by Confucian culture, I also hold this view of life. While I doubt whether I could "die" for a confidant, walking the path with those who understand me, sharing joys and sorrows, is what I pursue. Drinking tea, chatting, climbing mountains, traveling with those who understand me always brings a sense of delight. "True friends are hard to find in life". Although they say, "Grass is green everywhere under the sky", in this finite life, if one finds a confidant, discovers a patch of "green grass," and fails to cherish it, assuming there's an abundance ahead, they are likely to miss opportunities and regret for a lifetime.

If we do not walk with those who understand us, should we stay with those who do not?

"Repay kindness received with gushing gratitude" is a value I adhere to. When someone helped me at a critical time, pulling me out of a predicament, guiding me out of confusion, showing me hope, healing wounds, how could I forget the pain? "Repaying kindness is the virtue of a true gentleman”, “repaying kindness with enmity is the conduct of a petty person."

Before going abroad, I encountered a confidant, who was the CEO of a limited industrial development company that I met after starting my own business. I mentioned his name in the "Postscript" of "Lifechanyuan," saying, "Meeting you during my journey, receiving your help is like being nourished by the rain. I throw a spiritual beam toward the sky, wishing you a smooth journey ahead." This is my blessing for him and for all the other confidants I've encountered on my life journey.

After going abroad, I discovered a massive potential market. In gratitude, I soon wrote to this CEO, informing him about the considerable profits from overseas markets. He was excited and promptly replied, appointing me as the manager of the company's overseas department. Everything was running smoothly for a while.

To expedite progress, I made a request to the CEO: "I need to rent an office, set up a telephone, and buy a car. Please have the corporate headquarters consider this request."

Anyone who has run a company overseas knows that an office, a fax machine, and a car are basic necessities. However, those who haven't traveled abroad might think riding a bicycle or taking public transportation suffices.

Stalled! After my request, I received no further response from the CEO.

Later, I learned that the hitch occurred due to several vice presidents, the CEO's spouse, and "caring" friends who "concerned" about him. Upon learning of my request, they cautioned him, saying, "Be cautious, do not fall for his tricks. This person is ambitious; he might be a fraud."

A great opportunity, capable of bringing the CEO immense wealth, fizzled out, vanished, and miscarried. This happened in the name of “kind concern.”

Later, the increasing success and growth of many Chinese compatriots in this place confirmed my initial judgment. "Instead of the 'kindness' and warnings from those around the CEO, if he had taken swift action and seized the opportunity, this industrial company would have evolved into an entirely different entity."

Upon pondering this for a long time, I realized the "kindness" around the CEO was a kind of evil kindness.

Evil kindness always presents itself as sincere, considerate, caring, and "it's for your own good!" Yet, it consistently sets invisible obstacles in the way of others' development, ruining their bright prospects.

"You must be careful!" "Be cautious not to fall for it!" "Always be cautious of others!" "This person is ambitious; you must be cautious!"

"Allow me to speak frankly; I'm doing this for your own good!"

Evil kindness not only ruins someone's bright future but can also crush their beliefs, create discord among brothers and sisters, make friends and colleagues turn against each other, cause divorce between spouses, sow hatred between parents and children, lead partners to court, cause the downfall of political parties, dissolve organizations, bring turmoil to nations, and bring disgrace to ethnic groups.

Evil kindness is everywhere, always cloaked in kindness, making it hard to guard against.

Those with a twisted mind, lacking genuine talent, those with a cunning mind but no substantial intellect, insistent on displaying themselves as "frogs at the bottom of a well," and those who cannot argue logically, provide evidence, and thrive on baseless speculation are the breeding grounds of evil kindness.