Sometimes, it seems like everybody in today’s world is just rushing forward. There are so many things to do and places to be that we often forget to stop and look around us.
When we do eventually take a breather, we often realize just how many little things we miss that might really make life a little happier for us and those around us. For example, this TikToker shared how when she let someone with only a few items get ahead in the line at the store, that person was left baffled, which made her question where the niceness of people went. Scroll down to read the full story!
More info: TikTok
Some people are not so used to receiving kindness from strangers that when they do, it really shocks them
Image credits: @theblondebackpacker
"Do people not do nice things anymore?"
"Like, I was just in Costco, and I had a car full of things, and I pull up to the register. It's pretty busy, you know, every register has lines. And there's a line next to me that has an older man at the end of the line. He's probably like in his 60s or 70s, probably 70s. And he just has like three things in his cart. And he was there before me. But I get up to the register, like, and he's still waiting in line, even though he had been waiting, like, before I even got up there. And I was like, 'Hey, like, go ahead, you only have a couple of things. Go in front of me.' And he was like, 'Really?'"
Image credits: Mike Mozart (not the actual image)
Image credits: @theblondebackpacker
"I was like, 'Yeah,' like, it wasn't that. Like people do that [and] allow me to do that all the time"
"And I'm always very appreciative, you know, when you only have a couple of things in the grocery store, and you're behind people with cartfuls. And he was like, 'Wow.' And I was like, I mean, that doesn't really constitute a wow. But his reaction just made me think like, 'Do people not do these kinds of things anymore?' Like, is that not a normal action? To me, it is, you know, especially since he had been waiting there. Before I even got up to the registers, I had seen him waiting. I was like, that's like, it's not a big deal. But he was so appreciative. He's like, 'Wow, thank you so much.' And I don't know, I just, I don't know. It just made me wonder, like, are people not nice anymore?"
Check out the full TikTok video:
The woman in this video is a TikToker going by the username theblondebackpacker, also known as Caroline. In her posts, she usually shares her traveling experiences and daily life things, and she is currently followed by nearly 38,000 people, with her videos collectively holding more than 1.4 million likes.
One of her more popular recent posts, which garnered over 43,500 views, is the video of our story. There, Caroline shared her shock when her simple gesture of letting an older man with only a few products in his shopping basket get in front of her in the line caused him to respond with an overly surprised reaction as if no one had ever done this for him. This situation led her to question whether people had stopped being nice, and the video started a huge discussion underneath it.
People in the comments had mixed opinions and experiences on this matter. While some people said they do this all the time, others responded by saying that everyone gets to wait in the lane the same as others. But there was a major consensus that this type of behavior is rather scarce in most places and only really survived in the smaller towns, where people know each other better than in the big cities.
Image credits: sq lim (not the actual image)
But surely there are still plenty of nice people in the world, right? Well, the answer here is it depends on how you look at it. Because, as it turns out, nice does not necessarily mean kind, even if these words might often be used interchangeably.
In his article on LinkedIn, Andrew W. wrote that the definition of nice is pleasant, agreeable, or satisfactory, while kind means having or showing a friendly, generous, and considerate nature. In other words, people who are nice are usually like that to conform to others, while being kind comes from the person themselves, regardless of the things influencing them.
According to Andrew, niceness usually comes from dishonesty and fear. It might even be considered a form of manipulation, as people who agree or do things someone else’s way do so because they want to be on their good side or want to pull them to theirs.
On the other hand, kindness comes from our empathy and wish to help others and be good to them, not because we expect something from them but because that’s what our human instinct tells us to do. So, while niceness is purely logical, kindness is quite the opposite.
Image credits: kevin laminto (not the actual image)
But even if we don’t look at the differences between these two terms, there were a lot of people in the comments saying that they are actually nice or kind and do things confirming their statement often. So why do people still notice the lack of these acts in our society?
As Rachel Hosie of the Independent wrote, a recent study conducted at the University of London showed that most people are not as nice as they think they are. In fact, out of all the participants, 98% said that they must be in the nicest 50% of the population.
When they were presented with the actual test and were tasked to answer which ‘nice’ behaviors they do, most participants said they do things like give directions, hold the doors open, and give up seats on public transport. However, when it came to something a little more demanding, like helping carry heavy shopping bags and move across the road, giving money to strangers, or donating blood, the numbers dropped below 33%.
But, in the end, all of that is understandable. We all live our own lives in this fast-paced world, where it’s easy to forget about others. It is only natural to be a little selfish, as our survival instinct always makes us put ourselves first.
However, we should also consciously try to raise the niceness or rather kindness levels around us because it creates a chain reaction and leads to a more pleasant world for everyone in it. So, if you don’t already do it, the next time you see someone with only a few products in a long shopping line, why not let them go ahead first? It may be more rewarding than you might think.
What did you think about this story? How often do you do kind things? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Some commenters agreed with the TikToker, saying they also do these things and wish more people joined them, while others argued that everyone should wait all the same
