Philosophy Test

[Bronze Fox]

There's a wager attached to this poll so you guys better not disappoint.

[Zork Nemesis]

Look no further. I'm so nice I put myself into monetary troubles getting TF2 junk for random people. Imagine how much money I would have in pocket if I didn't hand out those thousand gifts!

It's entirely possible. When someone is too nice, they open themselves up to problems. Particularly in my case where I'm putting myself in financial strain being charitable, while you can have someone who is nice to the point that it's easy to take advantage of that person's trust.

[The Domer]

There's no such thing as true altruism. Doing nice things to help others is really a means to make oneself feel good about doing good things.

[Dog]

I live in Canada where everyone is too nice...

[Larry]

As a person with a older brother: "I've made some cake!" he yelled. *Me running around the corner for some tasty cake* "Surprise!!" *Kick to the jewels* "Whyyyyyyyyy"

This has happened a couple times...

[metacide]

As a person with a older brother: "I've made some cake!" he yelled. *Me running around the corner for some tasty cake* "Surprise!!" *Kick to the jewels* "Whyyyyyyyyy"

This has happened a couple times...

This has happened a couple times...

I thought that was worth emphasizing.

Also, yes, you can be too nice to your own detriment but I'm of the persuasion that a person that does too many nice things has motives other than what they are showing.

[black_and_blue]

So, when do we get to know what the wager was?

[darklin0]

I say yes, cause I am so nice to Mateo but he just wont be friendly towards me.

[Boss Llama]

Dear me, I could write a long essay on this topic. I'll try to keep it super short and summary-form though.

"Nice" is an almost meaningless word - it's vague, and doesn't really specify what's being done.

In general terms, if we're speaking of being genuinely kind and caring towards people who appreciate and/or desire that kind of behavior, no we cannot be too "nice" to each other. If it is improving the happiness of the receipient of that kindness, and is not causing unhappiness or dissatisfaction amongst others, there is no such thing as excess.

For purposes of this exercise, I would say that "being nice" does not include activities that are motivated by self-interest beyond Domer's point of wanting to "be good." Doing good things in order to appear good in the eyes of others (it will make people like me!), to try to get some prize or public recognition (I'm top of the scoreboard!), or in order to be thought holy or better than others (I shall be "Saint soandso!") is not included in legitimate "niceness" activities. Bringing harm to oneself through kindness to others may be legitimately altruistic, but can also be a form of recklessness motivated by one of the aforementioned desires.

I would additionally opine that "assisting" others who understand the challenge or situation they face, but do not desire assistance, is not a form of niceness. Neither is assisting a person in a way that harms them in the long term. Those are self-serving and potentially patronizing. This fine line has to be tread particularly carefully around "for their own good" situations. Something like a drug intervention (subject doesn't understand/recognize the danger they face) would be legitimate in my mind, while something like assisting somebody to pass a class by helping them cheat on a test is not.

As far as the poll, I'm voting "no." My vote is based on the narrow and admittedly subjective definition of "nice" I've outlined here, but as that's my view on the matter, I'm sticking to it.

[Gizanked]

but as that's my view on the matter, I'm sticking to it.

we might need to change your name to Keyes.

[Checkm8]

Yes. People try to hard sometimes, especially for me because I am disabled. It's so annoying at times that I have to fake being nice when really I want to tell them to bug off. Oh well.

[metacide]

Yes. People try to hard sometimes, especially for me because I am disabled. It's so annoying at times that I have to fake being nice when really I want to tell them to bug off. Oh well.

Want to go play horse shoes sometime? There's a mud run coming up, want to come with me to that? Better yet we could go hang out at a bounce house.

[Tungsten]

Nah, you can never be too nice.

[M's]

Yes. People try to hard sometimes, especially for me because I am disabled. It's so annoying at times that I have to fake being nice when really I want to tell them to bug off. Oh well.

I know that feeling, they are always trying to make more room for you than you really need, picking stuff up for ya. Sometimes you just want to knock their legs out from under them

[ADevilishPotato]

Yes. People try to hard sometimes, especially for me because I am disabled. It's so annoying at times that I have to fake being nice when really I want to tell them to bug off. Oh well.

I know that feeling, they are always trying to make more room for you than you really need, picking stuff up for ya. Sometimes you just want to knock their legs out from under them

...but what if I do that with every person I am with, regardless of who they are?