Shiloh
Editor, Senior Moderator
Source: http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/life/ct-tribu-weigel-good-virus-20130920,0,389881.column
Is kindness contagious?
New documentary explores the power of being nice, and paying it forward
Jen Weigel Lessons for life
10:33 a.m. CDT, September 20, 2013
Can kindness be contagious? According to the new documentary "Good Virus," if you do something nice ? or even see someone do something nice ? you're more likely to spread those good vibes to others.
"My wife said that all my projects were getting very dark and cynical and I said, 'Great ? then I might just do a movie all about being nice,' " said filmmaker David Gaz, director of "Good Virus."
Gaz said he first became curious about the power of kindness after reading an article about James Fowler, associate professor at the University of California, San Diego and co-author of the book, "Connected: The Surprising Power of Our Social Networks and How They Shape Our Lives" (Back Bay Books).
"I'm a huge science nut ? not someone who would say, 'What you put out in the world comes back to you,' " Gaz said. "But in Fowler's research, he showed that if I do something nice for you, you will do something nice for four other people, on average. I always like to have concrete examples and proof and the logic behind it. So when I was reading about his study I was kind of blown away..."
Is kindness contagious?
New documentary explores the power of being nice, and paying it forward
Jen Weigel Lessons for life
10:33 a.m. CDT, September 20, 2013
Can kindness be contagious? According to the new documentary "Good Virus," if you do something nice ? or even see someone do something nice ? you're more likely to spread those good vibes to others.
"My wife said that all my projects were getting very dark and cynical and I said, 'Great ? then I might just do a movie all about being nice,' " said filmmaker David Gaz, director of "Good Virus."
Gaz said he first became curious about the power of kindness after reading an article about James Fowler, associate professor at the University of California, San Diego and co-author of the book, "Connected: The Surprising Power of Our Social Networks and How They Shape Our Lives" (Back Bay Books).
"I'm a huge science nut ? not someone who would say, 'What you put out in the world comes back to you,' " Gaz said. "But in Fowler's research, he showed that if I do something nice for you, you will do something nice for four other people, on average. I always like to have concrete examples and proof and the logic behind it. So when I was reading about his study I was kind of blown away..."
