Kindness is well regarded as virtuous by society. There are some who claim that kindness is strength, and that kindness is not weakness.
Then, there are those who are “kind” out of necessity, fear, or guilt. This display of kindness is disingenuous and weak. Kindness out needing something, kindness out of fear of offending, or kindness out of guilt for some action: these are not strength.
This gives birth to an idea that we shall call the dichotomy of kindness.
You can only make a choice if you have options: the option to chose kindness as opposed to another action that would be categorized as unkind. Having that option and choosing kindness could then be considered strength. One might even go as far as to claim that genuine kindness cannot exist without strength and the ability to live unapologetically.
As a man, one condition to the respect of people is being capable of violence. Though capable, a choice other than violence can then be respected.
“The Warrior Ethos evolved to counter the instinct of self-preservation.”
– Steven Pressfield.
The opposite of fear is love. Kindness is an expression of love; therefore, kindness cannot come from fear or the like.
“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” – Corinthians
These ideas are substantiated throughout various translations of the bible, particularly in the gospel. There is no coincidence that such emphasis is placed on the opposite of fear.
“But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.” – Titus.