Politeness

It seems almost as though in today's fast-paced, intense world, nobody appreciates a few simple words, those simple statements of sincerity and appreciation.  And maybe they really don't mean very much at this point in time.  It's so simple to make an order, a request, and expect it to be filled correctly and quickly with few words and as little personal interaction as possible.

Given that, why would anyone bother to say "please," or "thank you," or anything of the sort.  It takes up time and adds excess effort to the process of simply get something.  This simple equation of giving and receiving, this simple exchange of goods and services is elegant.  However, it leaves out a fundamentally inelegant aspect of the interactions that occur: human nature.

People are involved in all of these interactions and exchanges.  And the thing with people is that they are not simple machines, they do not simply go through these events with no personal consequence.  People want to be gratified, they want their emotions attended to and respected.  So politeness still retains its place in today's world.

Humans want to be satisfied, they want their efforts appreciated.  As a result, those who gratify this desire, who are polite and respectful, tend to get a few minor, simple rewards.  They may be small and inconsequential, but they likewise satisfy that human desire to be appreciated.  Thus cycles (and not vicious ones, for once) are established of gratitude, appreciation, and contentment.