:: Captain's Personal Blog ::

Stardate: Thursday, August 12, 2004

Lighten Up!

You know what I've discovered? There are people out there who say that in order to get ahead in business, you can't be a nice person. Now, I just have to ask "WHAT KIND OF SCREWED-UP PHILOSOPHY IS THAT?!?"

We've all heard that old saying that "Nice Guys Finish Last." I have NEVER bought into that. I assume there is an analogous statement regarding 'Nice Girls,' although I haven't heard it. Whoever subscribes to these philosophies need to have their heads examined.

For the most part, I've been a big believer in the whole "do unto others...." philosophy. As such, I can't fathom anyone who wants to be treated like dirt.

But that aside, since most people don't actually THINK that way on a daily basis, what makes anyone think that being anything but nice to someone is going to get you what you want?

Now, to be fair, you shouldn't be so nice as to be a pushover. Stand your ground, but don't do it in such a way that you don't care if you offend someone else. Why would you do that? What sense could it possibly make? It's like saying 'might is right,' and we all know that isn't quite right. That's the very definition of being a bully.

Regardless, some people see being nice as a sign of weakness. That to forgive is to forget. These things are not true.

Ultimately, what all this boils down to, however, is my distaste for self-help gurus. For the most part, they have no idea what really works for people. They only know what works for them. Anyone who takes their word as gospel is engaging in a crap shoot. The fact that there is someone out there who is saying that to be nice is a mistake, is painful to me.

Readers of this blog know that I have always wanted to know why we can't all just get along, and these purveyors of poison (I am not longer talking about self-help gurus in general, but those who say that you shouldn't be nice) are right up there on the list.

Look at existence as a whole. We are all on this planet. No matter how you cut it, we have to co-exist here. You can't co-exist with people without being nice to them, no matter how you cut it. You just wind up creating a time-bomb that will one day explode in a brilliant flash of light. So the best thing is to try and make the best of it. Being mean will only waste your time and ultimately leave you unsatisfied. After all, friendship and camaraderie are some of the very cornerstones of sustenance.

:: J 2:52 PM [+] ::
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