Niceness is seen as a sign of weakness. when you behave "too gentle" you are definitely taken for a ride. you ought to get to the bottom and then you make a claim. Otherwise, people around you would take advantage of your gullibility. Just like what our "big-brother-next-door" does to us these days. The greatest problem we have today is that we are in complete denial of the problem which is trying to engulf us. Yet,we behave as if there is nothing to worry. Probably, we think ignorance is bliss.