My Understanding of Being Kind and Being Nice.

I always thought that being kind and being nice are the same thing. Until one day, while I was having lunch, I overheard a conversation between these two people.?

Black t- shirt girl:”Why are you being so nice? Oh my god! Do you like me?” “Starts giggling”

Green shirt boy: “… I don’t like you la… me like you? I was just being kind enough to remind you to pay… well, whatever……”

*Confession Time (Start)*

At times, I eavesdrop people’s conversations when I am waiting for my friend or eating lunch alone. I just do it for fun.?

*Confession Time (End)*

So back to the topic, so being kind and nice are not the same thing? I mean I would have joined them for lunch and asked clarification, but I was too coward and a little socially awkward to do so. So, I figured that I could just find out the difference being kind and being nice by reading up and googling.?Then I gave up on that thought and prompted chatgpt to write me a children story instead.

Here it goes...

Once upon a time, in a lush green forest, there lived an Asiatic lion and a Malayan tiger. The lion was known for his strength, while the tiger was known for his speed. But despite their differences, they were great friends.

One sunny day, the two friends decided to go on a walk through the forest. As they were walking, they came across a family of rabbits who were trying to cross a river. The lion saw the rabbits struggling and immediately offered to carry them across the river on his back.

The tiger, on the other hand, simply watched from a distance. When the lion returned, the tiger said, "Why did you bother helping those rabbits? They're not even our kind."

The lion replied, "Just because they're not our kind doesn't mean we can't help them. Being kind is about helping others, no matter who they are or where they come from."

The tiger didn't understand. He thought being nice meant only helping those who were like him. So the two friends continued on their walk, with the tiger still confused about the difference between being kind and being nice.

As they walked, they came across a group of monkeys who were stuck in a tree. The lion immediately offered to help them down, but the tiger again hung back, saying, "Why should we bother helping them? They're not even our friends."

The lion shook his head and said, "Being nice is about only helping those who you know and like. But being kind is about helping anyone who needs it, even if they're strangers to you."

The tiger thought about what the lion had said and began to see the difference between being kind and being nice. They continued their walk through the forest, and soon came across a river that was too deep for the tiger to cross on his own.

The lion, remembering the lesson he had taught his friend, immediately offered to carry him across the river. The tiger was grateful, and from that day on, he began to understand the true meaning of being kind.

The two friends continued to walk through the forest, and as they did, they helped many other animals along the way. The tiger now knew that being kind was about helping anyone in need, no matter who they were or where they came from.

And so, the Asiatic lion and the Malayan tiger lived happily ever after, knowing that being kind was the most important thing of all.?

The end.

So, from the children's story, I understand that being kind and being nice are similar in that they both involve positive behaviour towards others, but there is a subtle difference between the two.

Being nice generally refers to polite, friendly, and agreeable behaviour towards others. It is often associated with social norms and expectations, such as using good manners, being respectful, and avoiding conflict. Being nice can be superficial, and may not necessarily involve genuine concern or empathy for others.

Being kind, on the other hand, goes beyond simply being polite or agreeable. It involves genuine concern for others, and a desire to help and support them. Kindness is often driven by empathy, and a desire to alleviate the suffering of others. It can involve acts of compassion, generosity, and selflessness.

In conclusion, I learned that being nice is more about adhering to social norms and expectations, while being kind is about showing genuine concern and empathy towards others.?