Cool to be kind

As a retired teacher I would like to endorse wholeheartedly the sentiments in Cameron Wylie's article (“Kindness should have a place in the school curriculum”, Perspective, 17 November). It is a sad fact of life that in our world qualities such as kindness, gentleness and compassion are frequently derided and considered to be indicative of weakness.

This is often the case in the thinking of those bent upon acquiring as much money as possible or climbing as far up the greasy pole as possible. How others are treated in this quest is almost completely irrelevant. One only has to look at some of today's politicians, both here and across the pond, for evidence of this.

Sadly, these are the people who often hold the reins of power, not just in politics, but in places of work and other areas of life as well.

There is little chance of changing their mindset, but if we can educate the young to understand that the acquisition of wealth and power need not be achieved in this way and that there are other more meaningful ways of measuring success, then our future world can surely be a happier place, more at peace with itself. As the philosopher Jean-jacques Rousseau said 'What wisdom can you find greater than kindness?'

DAVID HAMILL East Linton, East Lothian