I think most things in life work better when you handle them with patience and kindness.
On the other hand, I just had a conversation with N to which he said, "kindness kills!" He's more of a negative nancy than I am, and I couldn't help but laugh. But I get it. Sometimes, life gets frustrating and it seems like there is no reason why we should be nice.
But I think a tad bit of kindness gets you further than negative energy. I'll stick with that.