WHAT I MEAN BY BENEVOLENCE

To me, benevolence means the desire for others to have their desires gratified.

EXAMPLES:

If Lora wants a new car, I am benevolent when I also want her to have that new car on principle of my wanting her to get what she wants.

If Lora wants to kill me, I am benevolent when I also want her to kill me on principle of my wanting her to get what she wants.

In this second, extreme example, my benevolence may conflict with my own desire to live. But that conflict does not eliminate my benevolence. It eliminates my willingness to act on that benevolence.

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I distinguish benevolence from KINDNESS in this one respect:

Kindness is the outward appearance of benevolence.

One may be benevolent, yet not communicate this benevolence outwardly.

And this is NOT kindness.

Also, kindness is "in the eye of" the recipient.

One may be benevolent, yet MIScommunicate it, such that the recipient fails to see the benevolence.

And this is not kindness either, but only kind intentions.

One may actually be MALEVOLENT, yet miscommunicate benevolence.

And this is kindness, so long as the communicator creates the illusion of benevolence and recipient thinks benevolence is behind it.