Buzz
In today's society, we are often taught that kindness and respect are the best ways to achieve what we want. After all, the Golden Rule advises us to treat others as we wish to be treated. However, being excessively nice can come with some drawbacks. Sometimes, you have to make the difficult decisions, let out some frustration on an unsuspecting person, or adopt the attitude of a know-it-all. In other words, occasionally you need to embrace your inner jerk. Believe it or not, being a jerk can actually be beneficial at times.
10. Not Saying Sorry Can Actually Boost Your Mood
When we apologize, we admit that we’ve made a mistake and express a desire to move forward in a more positive direction. While this is typically a good practice, it turns out that not apologizing can sometimes leave you feeling even better.
A research study published in the European Journal of Social Psychology had Tyler Okimoto, the lead researcher, ask 228 participants to reflect on a time they had committed a wrongdoings. They were then asked if they had apologized or not. The wrongdoings varied from minor offenses like cutting someone off in traffic to more serious crimes like theft. The participants were split into random groups and instructed to write an email either explaining why they were sorry or why they weren't sorry. Okimoto's study revealed that those who didn’t apologize felt better about themselves.
One theory is that an apology is an admission of guilt, which gives the other party power over the apologizer. By apologizing, the person who wronged someone hands over control, as the recipient can choose whether to accept or reject the apology. This also allows the recipient to feel morally superior and justified in judging the apologizer.
9. Arrogant Salespeople Make More Sales
The customer is always right—unless you're selling a luxury item. In that case, the customer likely has terrible taste in fashion and probably isn’t worthy of even polishing your shoes.
You might think that acting like a pretentious snob would be enough to turn any customer away from your business for good, but you’d be mistaken. A study from the University of British Columbia discovered that snobby salespeople who work with luxury brands tend to make more sales. The researchers found that participants who interacted with rude salespeople were more inclined to want the brand being sold, as they desired to feel part of an exclusive “in-group.” In other words, being treated poorly made them want to fit in and conform.
It's crucial to note that this only applies to high-end brands like Gucci and Neiman Marcus, not mass-market brands. The salesperson also had to embody the brand they were representing; the effect wouldn’t work if the salespeople were sloppy or unkempt. Additionally, rudeness seems to be a short-term tactic. It might push someone into making an impulse purchase, but the impact fades over time.
8. Cursing Boosts Pain Tolerance
Many of us have cursed after bumping our head, accidentally walking into a glass door, or making a huge mistake, even though we know society frowns upon swearing. Curse words are often associated with negativity, and society typically reserves them for moments of extreme frustration or anger. While these words might make others uncomfortable, scientific studies suggest that swearing might actually make the person using them more resilient to pain or discomfort.
Richard Stephens and his team at the Keele University School of Psychology conducted a study to explore how swearing might influence pain tolerance. They gathered 67 participants and asked them to create two lists of five words. The first list contained words one might say after accidentally smashing their thumb with a hammer. The second list was made up of words that could describe a table.
The participants were then asked to submerge their hand in a bucket of room temperature water for three minutes to let it adjust before dipping it into icy cold water. Half of the participants were instructed to repeat the words they might use if they hit their thumb with a hammer, while the other half were asked to repeat words that could describe a table.
The participants who swore were able to keep their hands submerged for longer periods and reported experiencing less pain. Swearing also appeared to elevate their heart rates. The researchers theorize that swearing helps increase pain tolerance because, like pain itself, it triggers negative emotions that provoke a fight-or-flight response, boosting heart rate and reducing pain perception.
7. Complaining Is Actually Beneficial
People generally don't enjoy listening to someone complain endlessly. The atmosphere tends to turn unpleasant quickly. However, there is a silver lining. Complaining can actually offer several benefits, including the surprising fact that it can boost your happiness.
Professor Robin Kowalski from Clemson University conducted a study involving over 400 men and women who listed their complaints about current or past partners before completing a questionnaire about their happiness, mindfulness, and relationship satisfaction. Kowalski discovered that those who complained were happier, but only if their complaints had a specific goal in mind rather than being made mindlessly. In other words, Kowalski concluded that productive complaints are those with a purpose.
Complaining, when done purposefully, can actually help us achieve great things. You can use complaints strategically to evaluate the problems in your life, distinguishing between those worth stressing over and those that can be resolved.
Try organizing your complaints into categories—those you have no control over (and can't fix) and those you can actually address. Once categorized, focus on finding solutions. Just be sure not to make your solutions too complicated, or you may end up complaining even more.
6. Unpleasant People Tend to Earn More
Have you ever heard the saying, “nice guys finish last” or “it pays to be a jerk”? It turns out that there may be some truth to both—jerks actually earn more money at work. Researchers from Cornell University, University of Western Ontario, and University of Notre Dame examined the salaries of men and women and found that those who were more “agreeable” had significantly lower salaries.
Younger, agreeable men experience this pay gap the most, earning almost $7,000 less than their more aggressive counterparts. In a follow-up study that included older men, the wage gap grew to over $10,000.
It’s not just men who are affected. The first study revealed that agreeable women earn $1,100 less than their disagreeable counterparts. The follow-up study showed that agreeable women make roughly $3,000 less than those who are more abrasive.
There could be a variety of reasons for this. Less agreeable people are likely better at negotiating salaries and making tough decisions. The disparity may be more pronounced for men because passive men are often perceived as less masculine and less qualified for leadership positions.
5. Confidence Can Actually Be Beneficial
There are certain scenarios where overconfidence can boost your mood and enhance your performance. Acting cocky, pretentious, and boastful can help fend off negative emotions like depression, doubt, and low self-esteem that might otherwise drag us down.
Overconfidence can also influence how others perceive you. A study published by the American Psychological Association revealed that people who overestimated their abilities were often viewed as more competent by their peers. One experiment had participants test their knowledge of geography, first alone and then in pairs. After rating their own abilities and their partner's abilities, the study showed that those who inflated their own abilities also received higher ratings from their partners.
A bit of cockiness can help us stay calm and confident, which can be an asset when meeting new people or navigating job interviews. Just be cautious not to bite off more than you can chew!
4. Controversy Drives Sales
A bold but effective marketing strategy involves stirring up controversy to attract attention and boost sales. Even negative publicity works in your favor, as it generates free promotion and leads to short-term spikes in product sales.
In 2014, scientist Matt Taylor became the center of attention after successfully landing a spacecraft on a comet. However, the media storm surrounding his shirt, which became known as “Shirtstorm” or “Shirtgate,” overshadowed the achievement. The Verge created a headline claiming, “I don’t care if you landed a spacecraft on a comet, your shirt is sexist and ostracizing.” Despite Taylor apologizing, his friend, Elly Prizeman, who designed the shirt, emerged as the true winner, receiving a flood of orders for the now infamous shirt.
This controversy was similar to the Protein World debacle, where their “Are You Beach Body Ready?” advertisements sparked outrage from many, including media outlets like BuzzFeed and The Guardian. The ad was criticized as sexist and body-shaming, leading to protests, petitions, and even acts of vandalism. Some protesters shared their defacing of the ads on social media, which was not their wisest move. Ultimately, Protein World’s £250,000 campaign generated over £1 million in direct sales revenue.
One of the most notable controversies in recent years was the uproar surrounding The Interview. This average comedy film sparked nationwide attention after it parodied Kim Jong Un. Threats of violence from North Korea led movie theaters to cancel showings, but Sony decided to release the film digitally. The result? Over $40 million in digital sales, as the controversy made people who had no interest in the film suddenly eager to see it.
This isn't to imply that all of the individuals mentioned above are inherently jerks, but rather that being rude and alienating others can, in fact, lead to increased sales.
3. Jerks Have a Higher Chance of Becoming Leaders
Prominent and successful leaders often don't keep their egos in check. Many of the world's most powerful figures can be described as narcissists, which makes sense given the fame and power they wield. Studies back this up. A study conducted by the University of Surrey revealed that high-level executives exhibited more traits of narcissistic personality disorder than those at Broadmoor Hospital. Researchers Board and Fritzon referred to the executives as 'successful psychopaths,' while the criminals were deemed 'unsuccessful psychopaths.'
In fact, individuals with dark personality traits often have distinct advantages when it comes to climbing the corporate ladder. Manipulators, by their nature, excel at persuading others to accept their ideas. This is hardly surprising, as manipulators are experts at influencing others to act in their favor. Those with antisocial personality disorder tend to excel at thinking unconventionally and challenging norms.
Narcissists excel at making a strong first impression, as evidenced by a 2014 study of 140 individuals cited in the Wall Street Journal. They also appear to be more effective CEOs, according to a study conducted by researchers from Stanford, UC Berkeley, and Santa Clara University. It turns out that narcissistic CEOs tend to stay in their positions longer and earn more money than their more selfless peers.
It shouldn't come as a shock that those who hold power—or feel as though they do—are more prone to corruption. Dr. Lammers from Tilburg University and Dr. Galinsky from Northwestern University investigated this idea. They asked 61 participants to recall a time when they were in a position of high or low power. The participants were then separated into these two groups and instructed to roll two 10-sided dice—one for tens and one for ones—in a private cube, later reporting their scores. The higher the score, the more lottery tickets they received for a drawing that would occur after the study.
Both groups were also asked to judge the morality of other participants taking the test. The high-power group was much more likely to apply stricter moral standards to others. However, the average self-reported score from the high-power group was 72, while the low-power group’s average was 59. This suggests that the high-power group likely cheated more, as the average score should have been 50 for both groups.
This isn't to say that there haven't been virtuous and selfless leaders, but the harsh reality remains. Many of today's leaders are narcissists with overblown egos, and some of the most despicable figures have risen to the top of both the corporate and political worlds.
2. Being a Jerk Sparks Loyalty
Jerks are adept at standing their ground and making sure things get done. They know exactly how to communicate their expectations and establish clear boundaries. You might think this sounds a bit Machiavellian, and you’d be correct. While ruling with an iron fist can have negative repercussions, just the right amount of assertiveness can lead to success.
Take Steve Blank from LaunchPad, for example. He sent a warning to all students that anyone who missed the first class would not be allowed to register for the course. When the course began, the students formed teams, but about a quarter of them had a member who planned to miss the first class for some reason. Blank put his foot down and insisted that anyone missing the first day, no matter the excuse, would be excluded from the course. As a result, half of the students who initially planned to skip found a way to attend. Blank also reported that the typical 20 percent dropout rate was reduced to zero.
That’s not to say you should lead through fear and dictatorship, as those methods have been shown to decrease employee engagement. However, effective leaders should embrace a bit of tough love to ensure their team stays on track and avoids slacking off or offering anything less than their best.
1. Anger Can Be Beneficial
Have you ever felt furious over a perceived wrong, whether it was something personal or something you saw unfold online? Perhaps you got fined for failing to stop at a stop sign, or someone tore into you on social media without reason. You might be angry about it, and there’s nothing wrong with that. While no one enjoys feeling angry, this emotion could actually have some unexpected benefits.
Believe it or not, anger can reduce stress, according to neuroscientists. Although it briefly raises heart rate, testosterone, and blood pressure, the stress hormone cortisol decreases, indicating that anger may help people relax before addressing a problem. Additionally, the left frontal cortex becomes more active if the anger is channeled toward resolving the issue. Anger can even act as a powerful motivator, pushing people to negotiate and work toward a solution.
Studies from the University of Amsterdam reveal that anger can be an effective tool in getting others to comply. In two experiments, participants were asked to negotiate with someone after being informed of that person’s emotional state. As expected, when participants faced angry opponents, they made more concessions and lowered their demands.
