“You’re lucky to be alive.”

It’s what most people say when I tell them I’ve hitchhiked 26,000 miles around the United States and world. They ready themselves to hear the horrors I must’ve had.

But those craving a scary story will be sorely disappointed. My journey did not leave me with even a single chilling memory of trouble and terror.

In fact, I was baffled by how generous people could be. They offered me rides, meals and even opened their homes without me asking.

I experienced thousands of kind acts, both large and small. These acts changed my life outlook for the better and inspired me to forge my go greater good philosophy.

Go Greater Good, You Say?

The go greater good philosophy is simple: While people are driven by a variety of motivations — under normal or gently conducive conditions — nearly everybody has a greater good foundation to go with and build upon.

And, the go greater good philosophy applies to every demographic. After all, I was helped by people from vastly different parts of the world, representing different religions, political views, ethnicities and socioeconomic classes.

Thomas explains hitchhiking as well as his extensive research into kindness.

I traveled with Independents, Libertarians, Republicans and Democrats. I shared meals with Muslims, Christians, Jews and Atheists. I stayed in the homes of Blacks, Whites, Mexicans and racists. When I needed help, everyone from businessmen to police, and hippies to homeless extended their hands.

86-year-old Violet offered me a ride, yet didn’t want to kill me.

Before hitchhiking, I thought I was open-minded. I now know I was mistaken. I spotted hidden stereotypes and felt them fall as I connected with fellow citizens of the world. I realized that people all want the same things. We only differ slightly in how we seek to achieve our goals.

Think about a stereotype that you hold — about a group of people, or about all people in general. If you found yourself in the intimate setting of a car with someone lending you a hand, would you accept an opportunity to disprove your prejudgment?

All demographics (even ones you are iffy about) contain kind, brave souls.

My Research

I’m not alone in my go greater good view. Any modern-day hitchhiker (including many females and people of color) would agree that, while caution is critical, the world is a beautiful place filled with kind individuals.

There are powerful evolutionary grounds beneath our desire to be kind. In other words, kindness is essential for our existence. The kindness we innately express toward helpless children and family members (kin altruism) is what enables our genes to be directly passed on. The kindness we innately express toward fellow community members (reciprocal altruism) is what enables us to survive and thrive ourselves.

These evolutionary forces have embedded kindness into our biology — through mechanisms such as the vagus nerve, oxytocin, mirror neurons, and Pacinian corpuscles. And, they have embedded kindness into our psychology — through the universally celebrated triumph of good over evil and “hero’s journey” myth. Women select for kind partners. Even babies are kind.

The Evolution of Kindness

Our intrinsic altruisms further evolve in today’s world through additional forces — what I call our “allies of altruism.” Reason, trade, communication advancement, and behavioral economics all greatly expand our built-in altruisms. Kin altruism spreads from the immediate family to our global family. And reciprocal altruism grows from the local village to our global village.

Indeed, scholars such as Hans Rosling, Max Roser, Steven Pinker and Peter Singer argue that not only are we good — we are better than ever. Of course, as Pinker says, better does not mean perfect; and new challenges may arise.

But it’s great to know that when people try to improve themselves or the world, they often succeed.

Did you know, for example, that:

the rate of starvation in the developing world has been nearly cut in half over just a few decades;

literacy rates have skyrocketed to 85% worldwide;

violent crime (such as homicide) in the U.S. is near an all-time low;

lots of other positive, powerful trends are happening?

Kindness is gaining momentum. Take it from the humble opinion of this Chipotle bag:

- Steven Pinker, Harvard Professor — obviously a fan of Chipotle.

Can 1 Person… Change the World?

After researching the goodness of humanity and experiencing it firsthand, I felt compelled to flesh out and act upon my own biologically-based kindness. I wanted to change the world. But could I?

I remembered a man who I met in rural Turkey. He walked toward me in the darkness as I anxiously looked for a place to camp on the roadside. I pictured him, trying hard to make me understand that he meant no harm. We shared no common language or bond of any type, yet he voluntarily opened his home to me.

Thomas and his Turkish friend

I relived the overwhelming gratitude and hope ballooning inside of me as we said goodbye the next morning. His kindness changed my world.

That’s when I realized each person resides within her own world.

I can change the world… for one person at a time.

Through additional research, I discovered that not only is changing the world (for one person) meaningful on its own; it additionally:

may lead to changing the world for many people;

has a ripple effect, meaning one act may affect countless others;

benefits one’s own world short-term and long-term;

distinguishes ‘the changer’ as one hero — in a select, inspired tribe of people — who create and contribute to positive, historic trends affecting millions.

The Potential of Kindness

When even just one person aims to change the world for one other, the result is meaningful. When this one, positive person becomes a small group, the idea takes on a whole new dimension.

I believe a small group of people can have an outsized impact. I believe kindness can grow without limits. There may even be a “singularity” of kindness. It’s not too far-fetched. Kindness is in our genes and positive trends continue despite widespread negativity and distrust. What would happen if we could embrace our kindness and work with it, instead of focusing so often on only the negative? And who knows where our allies of altruism could take us if we recognize and work to develop them as well?

Whatever the case, changing the world — even for one single person — is meaningful on both the giving and receiving ends in myriad ways.

What do you think? Are people kind or selfish? Can one person change the world? Can you? Leave a comment below.

Thomas Francine of New Jersey is a middle school teacher, positive psychology researcher, and hospice volunteer — who has picked up (almost) every hitchhiker he has ever seen. Want to change the world? Grab Thomas’ Change the World Guide here.