Nice Vs. Good

Nice guys finish last...

A conversation about a week ago with one of my more outspoken friends got me thinking -- as conversations with this individual often do. The topic this time? Nice Guys.

I am not friends with a lot of Nice Guys. Good Guys, yes. Slightly Blemished But Still Good Guys, definitely. But Nice Guys? Not a whole lot of them around.

My Definition

There's a stigma with the label of Nice Guy, and in my mind I know why. Nice Guy implies a certain blandness. Nice Guys will buy you dinner but not offer inspiring conversation (or none at all). Nice Guys are dependable but don't give you their opinion. Women are comfortable with Nice Guys but don't necessarily think of them much after the date.

As I said -- I'm not friends with many Nice Guys. Heck, I've only met a few of them over the years. There aren't a lot of true Nice Guys once you hit the real world.

"Nice" is a write-off, a non-statement, much as the word "fine" when someone asks how you're doing. "Nice" is a non-committal answer.

Now -- Good Guys, on the other hand, are surprisingly plentiful, as much as women don't like to admit it. Good Guys have unique personalities. Good Guys are fun but know when to be serious. Good Guys have opinions and are willing to share them when the topics come up. Good Guys treat you well but aren't timid when something is off-balance. Some Good Guys have questionable pasts; a lot don't.

I know a lot of Good Guys.

"Good" is a definitive label, a sign of a character. "Good" implies that an impression has been left.

Good Guys, by virtue of who they are, cannot finish last. They might finish later than they prefer, but they cannot finish last.

Bad Guys? Bad Guys are a waste of our time. Sometimes we need to be reminded.

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