Some people will mistake a kind act as one that shows off a weakness. It seems that showing kindness is sometimes seen as being emotionally weak and soft, while in turn showing rudeness would be considered a sign of strength and toughness. Strength is also often connected with taking care of yourself and showing little empathy to those around you. To take this point of view, however, necessarily misunderstands the true nature of kindness. In fact, kindness often comes from a position of mental fortitude rather than a weakness. It sometimes takes great courage to act in a kind way when you know there is the possibility of it being misinterpreted, wilfully or not.