Nicely done in...

I love being referred to as a nice guy. I mean who wouldn't? Nobody seems to dislike you, you do not have to watch your back in fear of being backstabbed, and there is always a good word in there for you from people who know you. I mean it is a compliment that all of us should be seeking, validating the way you carry yourself and treat others. Or is it?

However, being called nice may actually be a backhanded compliment. Nice carries the connotation of being weak and indecisive, that you are mere sheep for the wolves to pray on. People who work with you know that you can be taken advantaged of. It means that while you are the best friend of many girls you are romantically involved with none of them, that you are merely the safe harbour for them in the turbulent ocean of love they sail in. It also implies that while you may have your good points ultimately you are just are plain "nice" guy. Apparently nice guys are destined to finish last.

The modern work place is the perfect example. In the medical centre in which I work in as the 2ic, I am responsible for the planning of the covers of various medics. Ever the nice guy, I seek constantly to satisfy the requests of the medics as well as the units seeking medical coverage. However, in the time I have spent there, I realised that being nice just does not cut it. Everybody constantly asks you for changes in their covers, whether it is the medic or the units when you start aceding to their requests. The only way to deal with that is to play the bad guy and tell to all "go fly kite". Not to day that all the people are unreasonable, but it gets on your nerves how people take your niceness for granted. The people too often are guilty of taking my kindness as my weakness.

Even when dealing directly with patients, they think that just because you are a medic supposedly serving them that they can walk all over your heads. When I am being polite and helpful to you, that is because as a person I think you deserve courtesy, not because of your bloody rank or position. I will do my job to the best of my ability, but expecting me to go to unreasonable lengths for your own selfish convenience just irks me no end. I am too polite to say it to their face, but a lot of them do not seem to get the subtle hints that they are just irritating me.

We all want to be well liked, but at what price? I really think that beacuse I try to be nice, the opportunity costs is not worth it. Many a times I inconvenience myself to help others, all I get may just be a half hearted thank you. I do not expect things in return when helping others, but you do it hoping that they would do the same for you. Too often though the response is disheartening.

So should nice people like me start being like a selfish naccisistic loud mouth? The idea seems rather appealing. In this world where only the fittest survive, it is much easier to take advantage of others and claim the credit then to help them. We are constanly taught to aggegerate our own ability and character so the bosses will take notice of us. The quiet, steady worker who actually does real work is passed over for promotions in favour of those that talk the loudest and the most, never mind the actual work.

No, for I am not nice just because I want to be nice. I like helping others as long as it is reasonable, and the idea of being the quiet worker whose work's importance is only realised when he is not around to do it seems much more appealing. Niceness is still nice, though a little tempering with reality is best.

P.s: Any pretty girls looking for a self proclaimed "nice" guy......????

P.P.S: Stop it u DESPO!!! Urgh I hate myself

Quote of the day

" Always be nice to people on the way up; because ypu'll meet the same people on the way down."

Wilson Mistner
US screenwriter (1876 - 1933)