Meredith Skrzypczak
Too nice is too much for some. For many, it is just plain annoying. An era of behaving nicely seems to be upon us, but I wonder why simple acts of kindness get so many people worked up.
CNN’s morning show, “American Morning,” aired a segment warning the American people of this new era of kindness. The hosts tried to prove America was turning over a new leaf, but was met with attitudes of disgust instead of relief that people were now attempting more than ever to be nice.
The Golden Globe-winning film “Slumdog Millionaire” is just one example of where kindness prevails. A “nicer” movie than some of its contenders, it offered a more uplifting message of hope. Even the hit reality series “American Idol” is getting nicer as judges are not as quick to shut down the hopelessly tone-deaf contestants.
But it’s not random: There seem to be reasons for the new wave of kindness. In this economy, everyone knows someone who has either lost their job or is close to unemployment. Perhaps people are more aware of this, as a sense of sympathy takes over and selflessness prevails.
Do not be confused — CNN was hardly alluding that this new attitude was a breath of fresh air. Instead it urged people not to worry; the era is only a temporary one and soon things will be back to normal.
But what exactly do they mean by normal? Back to a usually mean-tempered society full of people who care only about themselves?
It does not seem like something anyone should be excited about.
The “nice is bad” sentiment seems a bit warped. If a stranger were to open the door for me, I would certainly smile upon it more than if that door was slammed in my face.
People generally seem to view excessive niceness as undesirable. It can be seen as a contagious disease. Nice people are “fake” and sometimes hard to relate to.
Try being extremely nice for a day; after a few polite gestures, fellow students will probably look at you like you’re crazy.
This is not to say that no one appreciates everyday niceties. Not everyone frowns upon better attitudes on TV or a president with the ability to charm the public.
While some welcome a few acts of kindness, most are attracted to a rougher demeanor. Rude people and catty reality TV shows are seen as much more entertaining than their nice counterparts.
But the economy is doing poorly, and chances are that most people on this campus are struggling with something. Maybe it is not a bad time to welcome in some new manners. The world will never be perfect and everyone has bad days. We are not robots with the ability to switch on our “nice attitudes,” but we sure can try.
No one can be nice all the time. Obama needs to balance niceness with firmness. Paula Abdul can learn a little from Simon Cowell, but he could also take a few pointers from her.
Some might anticipate the end of this new era, but I hope it is here to stay.
Meredith Skrzypczak is a State News staff writer. Reach her at skrzypcz@msu.edu.
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