some people are in the habit of paying lip service, and i don't mean the sensual kind. my question is, why bother? to what purpose does it actually serve? isn't it pretty much merely a poorly disguised insincerity? tantamount to a false promise? and henceforth, almost equivalent (only almost, because of the lack of malicious intent) to a lie?

so why do we do it? out of a sense of decorum? because "nice" people always behave in a certain way and say certain things? and our fear of being regarded unkindly by other people at large compells us to do and say things we don't mean?

and again, to what end? and for what purpose?...other than that self-serving consolatory pat on our own backs, so that we may go to be each night with some assurance that somehow, despite our devious thoughts, and selfish ways, we are all, "nice" people, at the end of the day.