There... I said it!!
Damn all you moral science books and hymns, damn all your religious discourses and "path of righteousness" followers!! Admit it, nice guys are no longer needed, let alone admired in today's time and age. When was the last time we appreciated gullibility, naivety and a general endeavor to smile for no reason?
Surprised, are we? Yes, I am angry. But not just for me. This is for all average/mediocre/face-in-the-crowd/gullible/simpletons all around us. They exist, yet remain non-existent-for the alphas, the mavericks, the young turks, rising stars, over-achievers... you name it! After all, it is them who define the way society shall move forward, it is them who shape the destiny of a team, town, company or a nation. These individuals don't associate themselves with traits like modesty/mediocrity/humility and why should they? They pride themselves on goal-orientation, foresight, business acumen, being thinktanks to keep them ahead of the curve.
So then, why do we need the second kind-the accountant who slogs in a dreary job to get his daughter a good education (not just make her literate), the housewife who toils day in and out to ensure her family stays together, the teenager whose idea of a Friday night is listening to his grandparents/parents talk about their lives and how they made their marriage more than just a wedding, the husband who respects his wife and never shouts/hits her so his son learns to respect women, the college undergraduate who says yes to education and no to drugs or the mother who teaches her daughter the importance of self-respect before she has to fight for it in a court?
Simple. We need nice human beings because they are the epitome of all that is humane-compassion, endeavor, tenacity, gullibility and yes, mediocrity.. Because unfortunately, as a species, we focus both our eyes in the same direction, up (growth-monetary/intellectual/social) or around (family/friends/strangers/society/nation). Anything otherwise is considered unnatural or non-progressive.
And while all our lives, as a student, son or a professional, we were taught the all important lesson of being tactful, strategic and assertive, we cannot and do not want to let go of who we are. Our likes/dislikes, goals, even fears are what make our "self" complete. Sacrifices are remembered only by those who did it, not by those they did it for... The average nice-guy is no different.
And I agree, who does not want to be the leader of the pack? God planned for us to be at the top of the food chain for a reason. But isn't it the same higher power that gave us the ability to emote, express and act on other's emotions? Somehow, as I silently observe around me, we seem to have devalued our primal need to be humane and replaced it with apathetic traits.
But not all is lost. Nice people do exist-somewhere among us, in the crowd, by the door, in the cubicle next to you. And they do not come all gift-wrapped in glitter but wear a pale blue dress shirt and pants and a 4 year old Titan watch. And when all around you seems lost, they look up and give you that heart-warming smile that suddenly makes everything seem ok. True, when you ride the wave of success, you need not know who they are or even acknowledge their presence. But maybe, maybe they don't need it anymore than you do.
Nice guys are irrelevant at best, a nuisance at worst. They seem to make great followers, pleasant peers and are generally accommodating partners lacking fire. But let me ask you this, who would you rather have around-a farsighted alpha male whose understanding of his goals is far greater than his partner's day in office, a drop-dead good looking MCP who subjects his wife to mental rape while coming across as the perfect mate, or a non-descript "nice-guy" partner with the looks of a pauper and the large-heartedness of a king.
Ladies and Gentlemen, love it or hate it, "nice" is the new exceptional!
Peace.
