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Is it nice to be nice?

Is it nice to be nice?

25th August, 2022

I wanted to share a question that's been on my mind.

We've been raised to believe that "being nice is good." Parents tell us to be kind to family, friends, and elders. When we're older and act normally based on our attitudes and beliefs, we can interact with people on three levels:

Level 1: Nice

Level 2: Neutral

Level 3: Nasty

A wise man once told me, "Not all people deserve to be nice to, and you need to be neutral or nasty when dealing with them," but I believe (and maybe I'm wrong) that I must treat everyone the same, regardless of what they deserve. My image and beliefs are what I value most.

I will mention some conclusions of the advantages of being extreme.

Advantages of being nice:

  • You get respect and love from the people.
  • You have stress-free conversations.
  • Fewer problems.

Advantages of being nasty:

  • You get what you want.
  • You don’t need to care about anything.
  • You don’t waste time.

Although being neutral may be the best option, it needs to be done with a bit of emotional intelligence and a lot of practice.

Now, I will pass the question to you all. If you feel you need to master controlling your emotions, feel free to check out our recommended courses.


Certificate in Emotional Intelligence
Emotional Intelligence Workshop
About the Author
Karim Salem, PMP®, PMI-ACP®

Client Relationship Advisor

Mr. Karim Salem is a Client Relationship Advisor with Meirc Training & Consulting. He holds a bachelor of science in mechanical power engineering from Ain Shams University. Karim is PMP® certified, and he has applied classroom learning to innovative and successful projects in which he served as a sole or principal leader. The British Council has selected him as one of the best 120 Arab youth in 2009 for being a GlobalChangeMaker® and due to his involvement in developing his community and country. He is the first Egyptian to become the president of a Rotaract® Club in the UAE.

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