In ‘Holy Smoke’,
a famous Jane Campion film, PJ Waters (Harvey Keitel) and Ruth (Kate Winslet) are engaged in an epic psychological struggle that eventually spoils the life of Waters yet also emotionally affects Ruth’s interpretation of life. In one central scene, PJ Waters requests Ruth to “be kind”. Linked to an academic context ‘being kind’ means respecting (a) earlier work done in the field; (b) giving value on the work of close-by faculty members; and (c) longer term academic traditions. Having good manners never hurts. However, ‘being kind’ specifically helps you to communicate with your supervisors, enhances your understanding of yourself as a part of academic continuum, and results in better research. Be kind!