Nice, as you know, is what little girls are expected to be and what little boys are told to be but not expected to become. But nice is also a luxury of the powers-that-be, who expect gratitude for it from the great herds of humanity, who must always prove their commitment to the will to nice or be hunted down as dangers to the order.
Nietzsche taught that nice is the cardinal sin of Christianity. Founded on ressentiment of the mighty, the will to nice seeks an end around might by making deference into a virtue with its, “No, but I insist.” Nice, as Nietzsche’s controlling aunts taught him, is always a grab for power, a feint of weakness followed by a stab in the kidney.
Unlike being nice, being polite (or politic) is a good habit, an expedient habit. Being politic communicates respect. But being nice demonstrates its perverse superiority by killing them with kindness.
[…] this stance. I too hate fundamentalism. (And certain fundamentalists, when I’m not pretending to be nice.) I too am quite certain that I’ve moved beyond that stage in my life. How a […]
A very interesting post. I’ve linked to it from my weblog, with a brief comment there. I’m withholding judgment, but I think you’re on to something.
Yeah, I still have problems with this. I don’t think nice is bad at all. How do you feel about ‘sweet’ and ‘kind’? Politeness can be very cold.
Nice?
“Nietzsche taught that nice is the cardinal sin of Christianity.
Kindness is great. No bones about it.
Sweet is okay if it’s sincere and you’re genetically disposed to it, but it seems a personality thing more than anything else. You wouldn’t want to expect it of everybody.
But I still have to agree with Evil Chutney. I think it’s telling that Jesus never said, “Blessed are the nice.”