nice guys finish last
Decency gets exploited
A cynical proverb suggesting that kind, considerate, or morally scrupulous people lose out to those willing to be ruthless or aggressive.
Often invoked to justify selfish behavior or to console someone whose decency was exploited: I tried to be fair about splitting the inheritance, but nice guys finish last.
The phrase originated in baseball but now applies broadly to competition in business, dating, and life generally.
- friendshipBond of mutual affection
- kindnessConsiderate, caring disposition
- ambitionDesire for achievement
- assertivenessConfident self-expression quality
- altruismPrioritizing others' wellbeing
people pleaser · ethics · agreeableness · trust · resilience · power dynamics · doormat · loyalty · morality · strategy · reciprocity · gender roles · reputation · passive · toxic positivity · vulnerability · dating game · rivalry
- proverbsproverbs, sayings, maxims, adages, aphorisms
- conventional wisdomearly bird, apple a day, opposites attract, patience, good things come
- self-interestself-interest, selfishness, egoism, look out for number one, every man for himself
nice guys finish lasthonesty is the best policy
Truthfulness yields optimal outcomes
what goes around comes around · karma · slow and steady wins the race
nicely, nicest, niceness, finish, finishes, finished, finishing, finisher, finishers