In or close-to-equilibrium response to external stimuli and
statistical forces are primarily entropic and  governed by 
the standard thermodynamic potentials. We report on a program 
of identifying a unifying kinetic feature, called the frenetic 
contribution, to complement entropy considerations in the study of
nonequilibrium behavior. We therefore present extensions of the 
first and second fluctuation-dissipation relation for driven systems 
or for probes in contact with nonequilibrium (active) baths.