First, watch this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwAYpLVyeFU

During this time of hatred, I thought it would be a good idea to discuss a video about kindness. Whatever side you are on, we need to remember that we are all human and we all need to be sensitive to one another. What makes people human, anyway, is empathy. Remember to love instead of to hate; one act of kindness can turn a person’s day around in a positive way.

A concept called Random Acts of Kindness is known around the world. It can be in the form of a compliment or a nice, respectful gesture. All it takes is one person to complete one Random Act of Kindness to make another person’s day special. Some examples are as simple as holding the door for someone or telling an individual that his haircut looks fantastic. The idea of Random Acts of Kindness is to continue the “chain” of good vibes. When one human feels happier about himself, he may wish to pass his happiness on to someone else. A music video made by Life Vest Inside depicts a “chain reaction” of Random Acts of Kindness, using the song “One Day” by Matisyahu. Life Vest Inside’s video is called a “Kindness Boomerang,” and it relays the message of kindness through music, colors, lighting, and camera techniques to convey the message to its audience. Kindness is an essential human quality that promotes empathy and makes the world a happier place.

Life Vest Inside is an organization that’s mission statement is “To empower and unite the world with kindness. Life Vest Inside inspires people to recognize the potential they have to affect real and positive change in this world through kindness,” (Life Vest Inside para. 1). The means for which they want to create world unity through kindness is by inspiring, engaging, educating, and uniting (Life Vest Inside para. 2). Life Vest Inside inspires through social media and film; it engages by using worldwide events and technology (Life Vest Inside para. 2). The organization uses educational curriculum to educate, and it allows one to become a kindness ambassador to unite (Life Vest Inside para. 2). Its official webpage shows diversity due to the pictures of numerous people of different backgrounds, coming together as one (Life Vest Inside para. 1).

Everyone ranging from children to elderly is meant to see the video to gain something positive from it. Mainly children, teens, and young adults are the focal point, yet people of various races, social classes, ethnicities, genders, and ages are the audience that is being targeted to promote Random Acts of Kindness. Friendliness is not based on one type of people; it includes all people, no matter how big or small. The video demonstrates diversity by showing individuals helping others who are different from them. For instance, a young boy assists an old lady in carrying her groceries across the street. One man in the video buys an African American man living on the street, a hot dog and water. The African American man sees that a teenage girl forgets her phone where she was standing, so he brings it to her. For another example, the man singing the reggae song in the background is a white Jewish man.

The artist for the background music is Matisyahu. He is a reggae singer who declared himself a hippie as a teenager yet returned to Judaism (“Matisyahu” para. 2). He wrote the song “One Day” to open one’s heart and give one hope (“Music of Hope” para. 4). As soon as the boy in the video walks over to help an old lady carry her groceries across the street, the lyrics of the song say: “I know someday it will all turn around.” The music picks up its pace with a happy, catchy beat through a fast rhythm. The music demonstrates a hopeful, inspiring mood throughout. The lyrics of the song demonstrate the world becoming a better place. It communicates world peace. Throughout the music video, bright colors are represented to show that the world is becoming a better place through kindness. Along with the colors, the lighting is frequently bright throughout the video. Along with lighting techniques, camera techniques were used to show that Random Acts of Kindness can change someone’s life. The entire video is a continuous camera shot; it is a never-ending circle, following along the chain of kindness. The continuous style allows the viewer to see the perspective of the characters. It causes them to feel as if they are the people in the video: grateful to have someone looking out for them and wanting to pass the love on. It also conveys an image of the world turning around for the better and demonstrates the multiple perspectives of the characters.

The message of kindness is conveyed throughout the video. Its purpose is to change the hope of the world, making it a better place by completing nice gestures for others. Life Vest Inside is an organization that promotes kindness throughout the world. The message of the video is represented to its diverse audience through music, colors, lighting, and camera techniques. So please watch this video and remember that there is much more good than evil in the world. Always remember Martin Luther King Jr.’s words: “Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.”