[Nazē.]

people aren't nice anymore?

Today, we had the first cast meeting for the play that we're doing, All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten. It's a collection of scenes and monologues that deal with the things children learn in kindergarten, such as sharing, playing fair, looking, saying sorry when you hurt someone, etc. It basically shows that those are really the important things in life, no matter how old you are.

So today we talked about each one of those. And it's made me think.

Can you imagine how much better the world would be if people didn't hit each other? If people cleaned up their own mess, not only literally but also metaphorically? If people didn't take things that weren't theirs?

Why do you think that in general, as people get older, they start to forget these things?

[Zoo]

When people get older they quit being nice because:

- people by nature are selfish and they have no one to tell them to anymore.

- some people are irresponsible (which is a lot like selfish, but somehow worse).

- they learn it's not worth it. Nobody appreciates it, nobody returns the favor, and in general the world gets worse and they feel helpless to do anything about it.

- they learn it's not worth it because even the people most important to them will screw them over without a second thought, or sometimes a first thought, about them.


This is why I spend much more time with animals than people. Unfortunately the part of my brain that wants the company of other people works properly. . . .

[Kimojuno]

I have to say it is because people see it in other people, for example if a child sees someone being nice they are more likely to be nice. The issue isn't whether or not to be nice, it is whether or not to be the first person being nice. :o

[Aaron]

Simple fact: People are lazy. Laziness is the root of all evil in our society today.

[Nazē.]

It doesn't take any more effort to smile and say hi than to look away and say something obnoxious.

[Darkness]

Because most people feel bad about themselves, or their lives, or how they look, etc. (because of media, propaganda, whatever), and for a lot of people, having the power to make someone else feel bad makes them feel better about their own lives.

People -should- realize that making someone else's day -better- tends to make one's own self fell better exponentially more.

[Charlie]

I tend to find as people get older they think they can do whatever the heck they like, because no one usually tells them its wrong (Like they would in Kindergarten)

[Aaron]

I tend to find as people get older they think they can do whatever the heck they like, because no one usually tells them its wrong (Like they would in Kindergarten)

Very good point.

[Nazē.]

But why do they think they -should- do the more negative things?

[Zoo]

I don't think it's a matter of thinking they -should- do negative things as much as a "why should I be nice?" mentality.

[Neraphym]

I live in a place nicknamed Happy Valley. I have no idea what you guys are talking about. I surround myself with positive, kind, and happy people, and I have very little experience in this cold, selfish, harsh world you speak of.

[Nazē.]

I think the majority of the world should be that way, rather than a select group, or in certain places.

Our teacher brought up a good point yesterday. Looking back at history, how much different would it have been if people could just say sorry when they knew they'd made a mistake?

[Zziggywolf5]

People figure out that there's no reward for being nice, but they notice that occasionally being mean and/or hateful does.