Honestly, is there anything more nonsensical than wanting to deck someone for being nice?
It’s a modern phenomenon.

The first time I heard about the term “being fake” it didn’t make any sense to me. To an extent it still doesn’t now. When someone is being fake, it means that they are talking about a person behind their back, actively disliking them, but still being kind to their face. This, in modern times, might as well be a cardinal sin.

Imagine it: the same acquaintance you see everyday, being fake to you. Everyday, you say hi in the hallways. In class, you exchange pleasantries, homework on the rare occasion. If you mention them to your mom, they’re a friend, even if your bond never transcends the camaraderie of the classroom. And then, one day, the horror! You hear from an ever closer almost-friend that your acquaintance was never really fond of you to begin with. They would even go so far as to say that your presence brings down their day. Oh goodness, how will life go on? How they dare do that to you?

But, I ask, do what?

What is the great betrayal? Where did your acquaintance go wrong? Was there pain, was there struggling? The only time their hatred must have hurt was when an entirely different person who couldn’t keep their mouth closed let the cat out of the bag. Are they not the one that should be blamed? What did the acquaintance do wrong?

Here’s the thing, would it have hurt less to have known that they despised you? If we’re still being honest, I don’t think that’s true. There are few quicker ways to ruin a day, a week, a month than to know that someone despises you. Have you ever been snapped at and felt grateful that at least you know where you really stand? No, of course not, because being disliked is an awful feeling. Being nice saves everyone the time of burnt out feelings and remorse (and take it from someone who used to glorify their lack of “being fake”, there is remorse). It’s time we go back to minding our own business and being kind, like we should’ve been all along.

After all, that is the pivotal point of wisdom: if someone is that much of a drain on your life, then why do you even speak to them? It’s time that we erase the idea that being honest about hatred is somehow better than lying through your teeth. It’s ridiculous, it glorifies being petty and straight up mean. We need to realize that being nice to someone you secretly wanted to punch in the face shouldn’t be called fake, it should just be called being a decent human being.