Virtue can be as viral as vice

During the Wimbledon quarterfinal early last month, Alexander Zverev fell while chasing a ball. Jannik Sinner rushed over, concern etched on his face, and helped him to his feet. The cameras caught the moment as Sinner mouthed, “Are you okay?” Zverev nodded gratefully, racket in hand, and play resumed.

It was a fleeting gesture — crossing the net, offering a hand and three simple words — but it warmed my heart. What might have been ordinary sportsmanship lingered in my memory for days, reminding me how deeply small acts of consideration can resonate.

Kindness, however trivial, has a way of lifting our spirits. A boy holding the elevator door for his sweaty neighbor in the summer heat, a young stranger guiding my car out of a narrow passage after I scraped the wall — these moments of goodwill convince me that life is worth living and inspire me to follow their example. They are reminders that compassion, even in its smallest form, can ripple outward.

Of course, I am not naive enough to believe that such gestures alone will transform the world overnight. The daily news is dominated by violence, crime and sensational stories designed to capture attention. Murders, arson, school violence and abuse fill the headlines, numbing us to wrongdoing and perhaps even encouraging imitation. The relentless stream of shocking stories makes us numb to cruelty, and in some cases may even normalize it.

However, I believe virtue can spread just as vice can. Consider the retired teacher who, after a lifetime of educating children, donated her organs to save four lives. Her final act of generosity was a continuation of her devotion to nurturing others. Or we could consider the two soldiers who sacrificed their lives rescuing children from drowning on Korea’s east coast. Their courage and selflessness commanded profound respect and reassured me that goodness is contagious.

These stories remind us that sacrifice, kindness and consideration are not isolated acts. They are seeds planted in the soil of society, capable of growing into something larger. When we witness such deeds, we are moved to emulate them, just as vice can inspire imitation. The difference lies in what we choose to amplify.

If news outlets devoted as much attention to virtue as they do to violence, perhaps the public imagination would be filled with examples of courage and compassion rather than cruelty. While sensational headlines may drive ratings, stories of kindness can drive hope. They remind us that humanity is not defined solely by its darkest impulses but also by its capacity for empathy and sacrifice.

As long as people who embody kindness, sacrifice and consideration exist, their example will ripple outward. Their devoted thoughts and deeds brighten our society, making it more livable, more humane and more hopeful. Virtue, like vice, can be viral. And when it spreads, it has the power to transform not only individuals but the collective spirit of a community.

Lee Eung-tae (eungtae@gmail.com) is a former high school teacher who taught English for 35 years.