The French word bonhomie came into our language as bonhomía . The term refers to the kindness , cordiality and simplicity of an individual.
Bonhomie, therefore, is a personality quality and a trait that can be seen in behavior. He who has this characteristic acts in a supportive, compassionate and honest manner.
Philanthropy and altruism are other values implicit in bonhomie. Whoever has bonhomie, in short, is a good person .
For example: "The famous artist once again showed his bonhomie by offering a concert to benefit the victims of the flood" , "I always try to act according to what bonhomie dictates" , "In today's world it is increasingly difficult find traces of bonhomie..."
Let's take the case of a woman who invests her free time in helping others . He usually prepares food in a community kitchen, gives free school support classes to needy children and reads stories to elderly people who live in a nursing home. Thanks to these actions, everyone who knows her emphasizes her bonhomie.
On the other hand, a businessman who accumulates a large amount of money by exploiting his employees and engaging in activities that threaten the health of the population, and who never makes donations or supports public good campaigns, is not known for his bonhomie. On the contrary, it can be said that he is a greedy, mean and selfish individual who does not contribute to the well-being of his neighbor or the development of his community.
While the most widely accepted definition of bonhomie refers to the aforementioned positive qualities , such as honesty, kindness, affability , and simplicity, there is also a view according to which a person whose actions fall within this description is also somewhat naive. In each Spanish-speaking region there are terms or expressions to talk about this type of individual who, in general terms, we can say is "too good."
Of course, it is difficult to measure goodness , much less limit it, to point out a point from which it occurs in excess. Could we say that a homeless child should be helped up to a defined limit, such as giving him food but not listening to him, or trying to find him an adoptive family but in the meantime not sheltering him from inclement weather? The problem begins in cases where the person receiving help does not actually need it, but rather feigns an emergency situation to take advantage of the charity of others.
When a lie of this type is discovered and the damage suffered by the person who helped the freeloader is appreciated, it is called "too much kindness." It is in this context that the definition of bonhomie with a connotation of naivety could be used. It should be noted that not all individuals who are defrauded by someone who uses them through lies regret their actions, and this is another point that invalidates the view according to which we should help up to a certain limit: kindness should exist in a certain way. independently of whoever receives it, and it never hurts.
If all human beings put kindness into practice daily, the world would become a better place in a very short time. We could begin to combat the hunger, poverty and loneliness in which so many people live. Furthermore, by default, problems related to violence , both that which takes place in the home and on the streets, including robberies and rapes, would instantly end.