Niceness is a social lubricant. Kindness is a moral duty. Learn the difference.

We are taught to be nice. To smile, to agree, to avoid conflict. We confuse niceness with goodness. They are not the same.

Niceness is performative. It is about managing how others perceive you. It is selfish. Kindness is about what is best for the other person, even if it is uncomfortable.

Telling a friend the hard truth is kind, but it is not nice. Enabling a friend's self-destruction is nice, but it is not kind.

We have created a culture of toxic niceness, where we would rather let someone ruin their life than risk an awkward conversation. Stop being nice. Start being real. It is the only social skill that actually matters.