Nice guys finish last......FALSE!
I am strictly talking about the movie and not the book.
I found the main guy character to be very repulsive, charmless and tactless in his interaction. You don't announce your "love" for a girl in a val. speech - it's not love he's got, it's a crush on a girl he barely talks to because Beth was attractive. (this also depends on your definition of what a nice guy is). More than that, did he ever consider that he might jeopardize another person's relationship for his own selfish gains and put himself in a lot of trouble? He pretty much wanted to steal another boyfriend's girl. and humiliated his friends along the way...And he's considered the clever nice and sweet guy? PFFT! He may be book smart but he lacked common sense. He was also arrogant and looked down at people who went to community college.
I have known a very good friend who was a 'nice guy'....Let's just say his first girlfriend suffered from clinical depression, lacked confidence and became really clingy to him. My friend had to reach a breaking point before he was able to break up with her, took her back and then broke up again. He was also lacking in confidence and I understood his reasons. Things he said did annoy me sometimes, but I also thought he was so unfairly treated by women (I admit sometimes I treated him badly when he did annoying things). I contemplated if he got into the relationship and acted more as a savior to feed his ego (he was in a verbally abusive relationship that put dents in his mental health and thought he could change her). He eventually called it quits. He was a truly nice guy...he wasn't superficial...he now has a second girlfriend and HAPPY. Why is he successfully in a relationship?
It's not money that attracted him a girlfriend (she was making more money than him). It was because he was realistic, non-shallow and very nice without the want to reap rewards for being nice. He wasn't manipulative. His girlfriend is average looking. He didn't settle, he's very happy. He helps me out just as he would any other girl, not just the girl he fancied. He is the true definition of a sweet and nice guy. Nice guys don't necessarily finish last.
Guys who claim to be 'nice' who aim for the hottie and are tactless in their social interaction with women finish last. How is being superficial nice? i"ve heard so manys stories about guys complaining how they can't find a decent girl but when their gal friend offers to set them up with someone they've met once before, they decline because the girl wasn't pretty enough. 'Nice' guys over look the decent girls who are average looking, and wonder why they get the short end of the stick...they aim for women who are complete jerks and just as superficial.
To Summarize my feelings:
http://www.big-big-truck.com/comics/sensitiveguy/sensitiveguy2.gif