Can we just be nice?

Sarah Miller
MSMU Class of 2026

(11/2022) Heineken released a new advertisement showcasing individuals' vast beliefs on the political spectrum. They paired members with someone who was far right and far left to see if that would impact what they later found was building a bar. After the individuals completed it together, they showed interviews of each other that showcased their political views, highlighting how different they were. The experiment later allowed them to either talk about their differences over a beer, or leave. They all chose to stay and have a civil discussion over a beer, which allowed them to become more personal with each other and become educated on their differences. The message, besides drinking Heineken, is that we are all different, yet the same. Seeing both sides is crucial to understanding others, which is what they achieved. The two people from different ends of the spectrum enjoyed their time, one pair even deciding to keep in touch. In the beginning, it was all about politics, but in the end, politics meant nothing. Although I am only 18 years old, my first drink when I am 21 will be Henikin. My philosophy is that a great impact must mean even greater beer, right?

Sometimes I wonder why there isn't a news channel that only shows the good news. The news channel puts politics aside and shows what we are truly doing in society that is making an impact around us, while allowing us to know others better. Our nation is divided, and America needs work; America’s people change as the trees do in a season. We grow as we go through life, which can change how we feel about certain aspects. The colors of our leaves, though, do not define the winter that is the season. Winter, signified as the time when everyone is gloomy, comes with beautiful qualities too, like nature, crisp air, and great campfire weather. After seeing a lovely winter, "the cold shoulder" should develop into meaning something good. That they are taking time to process and respond tentatively, and that the snow doesn't turn into a thunderstorm. All humans have good qualities and live for the greater good. We all do need a little work, but first, let's just start making some new friends so that way we can start being nice to each other and seeing the good.

Choosing friends based on topics like if they are pro-life or pro-choice can be a challenge for some. Understandably, morality is a significant factor when making friends. I am sure we must reevaluate if political arguments are that big of a factor. The Thanksgiving season can be enjoyable because of politics and religion. These are the months when we try to provide more gratitude, list the things we are grateful for and what we cannot live without. Maybe other things will come to light? This would be a great conversation around the Thanksgiving table. Politics or religion doesn't change that my grandma makes some fantastic chicken, my uncles can play some nasty cornhole, and my grandfather was phenomenal at his job.

Although being wickedly good at cornhole isn't necessarily important in life, at the end of the day, we all want to be happy, because the world is not always the friendliest place. Collectively, we all want to be the best version of ourselves, and I found for me that my family is always here for support. The family also doesn't have to be by default; friends and significant others can be chosen and can even be the most constant people in our lives. I believe everyone can put politics aside and look at the greater good because there is always much good to be looked at; after all, Trump vs. Biden isn't quite like a fantasy football game.

I bet that Trump can't cook as well as you and Biden can't sew as well as your grandmother always could. We need to consider putting aside our political agendas and thinking about what we all love and appreciate, which is the other people around us. We value each other's skills; without them, we could not survive. New York City wouldn't be as metropolitan, clean water would be even harder to come by, and we wouldn't be able to communicate easily with others.

We can all agree that life is scary, and we need each other to keep moving forward. Being nice is a necessity and going out of our way to help someone can be significantly appreciated, sometimes even more than we would ever know. I believe kindness can affect people significantly, and taking that extra step can make a difference. Consider the issue of ocean plastic pollution. In that case, we are making necessary interventions that have aided our shores and will even help the Pacific Garbage Patch soon. We can have cleaner fish, cleaner beaches, and a healthy reef because of the unyielding efforts of humanity and wanting to change the planet for good.

In preschool and the Jurassic ages of making friends, we didn't know where the other kids were on the political spectrum; we befriended them because they had the same interests. As humans, we want to be appreciated, loved, and safe, which is accessible as a little kid if you are in a stable environment with fun recess time. Engaging and being with other people in places where politics and religion are put aside can bring out our true colors. The people you meet who are different from you can be the most impactful. As we age, we are exposed to more experiences to show what we want our friends to be like, which does not stem from politics or religion. While politics and religion can fuel mortality, the two can be the icing on the morality cake. As long as we can all be nice, respect each other and "treat others the way you want to be treated," this can be the foundation of our beings. By being friendly, you can make a friend; find out the rest later.