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I was thinking today about how there are some people who adamantly believe that “buttering things up” or “sugar coating” are wrong, bad, stupid, or cowardly.
I’ll concede on two points, the first being that many people over-do it, or do so in a manner that demeans everyone involved. The second being that, often times, people definitely need to be slapped in the face with the cold, hard truth – no mercy, no gentleness, just brutal honesty.
But brutal honesty should be reserved for drastic situations, when kindness has already failed to produce results and the consequences if not speaking up are rather serious.
In normal, every-day situations, though, I must ask: What’s wrong with a little kindness? Where’s the harm in saying something nicely, sharing a truth without sacrificing someone’s good mood? One really does get more with sugar than vinegar, and while there will always be times when harshness is necessary, it shouldn’t be one’s default setting.
And quite frankly, if someone can’t be bothered to say something nicely to me, then perhaps I can’t be bothered to associate with them anymore.
Honestly, to me, kindness has always been the best indicator of true strength and security. It takes more strength to be kind than cruel.