Fuck you, if people try to fuck me over just for not being a total ass-nut 100% of the time then that's on them.
I'm not even that nice, damn it.
Sparking someone out with an open palmed slap is more humiliating
PSA: Don't hit with a closed fist, you'll just risk breaking your knuckles and/or skin on them, risking blood contact. Better to strike with the bottom of your palm, you can transfer just as much force but it's safer for you.
The trick is you have to recognize the asshole as an asshole and treat them appropriately before they recognize you as a person to take advantage of
If I'm so nice why have you tried to arrest me like 10 times?
Nice person here (most of the time, but I've had plenty of fuckhead moments). In my experience, these are people who feel shitty and selfish in comparison to you.
Anyone whose doing something good (helping the poor, cutting out plastic, going vegan) will notice this. The unsolicited advice comes out of everywhere.
Your weaknesses are only weaknesses because capitalism doesn't have a use for them. Hence, true kindness (beyond social niceties) is a weakness. It's as simple as that, unfortunately.
Armchair psychologist here, reason #20 million why capitalism is a fuck can be related to this subject. The people who hunt and attempt to fuck over individuals who are "nice" are typically afflicted by Type B personality disorders and/or the Dark Triad of Narcissism, Psychopathy, and Machiavellian behaviors. Aka the assholes and abusers that are quite common in society, due in part to material conditions (excessive competition, scarcity, violent crime, etc.) and genetic abberations. Such monsters in human skins wreak social havoc on an interpersonal and systemic level, thriving and rising to positions of power when given the chance, as in our cutthroat capitalist hellworld, profit is placed above human dignity. The consequences of their toxic actions include serious psychological trauma, bankruptcy, mental breakdowns, and unfortunately even death.
It thus logically follows that addressing this serious problem would be given a higher priority by institutions of power. Such as by means of childhood intervention, stronger workplace rights, public education, greater support to vulnerable communities, devaluing competition as a merit in mass media, etc. This is already approaching socdem territory, which the current far-right establishment doesn't even want, much less the more effective systemic solution of changing the mode of production from crapitalism to socialism, which would de-incentivize Dark Triad behaviours at the very least.
The elite bourgeoisie may have more of an interest in letting Type B/Dark Triad cases roam society, since their existence not only reinforces the false notion with deeply religious fundamentalist (original sin) undertones that humanity ebil and might makes right, thus the current system is the best/inevitable, but also decreases class consciousness and makes it harder to organize due to the socially cancerous effects of these assholes. Along with various other reasons.
I’ve found that practicing the virtues is cool and good. Yeah, I was taken advantage of in the past, but after a couple times I kinda figured out how to trust my spidey senses. I think it’s beneficial to get the run-around sometimes, it sharpens skills and reminds me to disengage my kindness from expectation of praise. Like, I’m not being nice so the other person will be like “OH THANK YOU THANK YOU!” I’m being nice because it’s usually the proper thing to do and I like to do it.
I've had to learn the above the hard way, I live in the ghetto. You'll be a target just for having a clean car.
at some point in my life, i think probably when i was fully mature in my brain, i made a conscious decision to be kind and honest to others, by default. the guarded, reptile-brain of my youth just didn't seem all that functional anymore. maybe it's too transactional to even think of it in terms of "functional", but empathy and cooperation are what work best and are most resilient.
the weirdest sensation is being thought of as "naive" or a "dupe" by the reptiles out there, the kind of people that interpret kindness as weakness. like we don't notice them tell on themselves or we can't communicate with others in their warpaths.
kinda reminds me of dealing with young kids as an adult. young kids are routinely baffled at the notion that adults communicate with each other outside their perception. like a parent knowing their child fucked off in class because the teacher shot them an email about it.
let your big cooperative, empathy brain do its thing.
