In his travels to 75 countries, the speaker found that most people around the world are good. It's easy to be pessimistic about people without exposure to different cultures, but when you experience people in different places, you realize that most are hospitable. Negative behavior has an asymmetric effect on social interactions and people's perception of others, with only a small percentage of individuals causing disruptions. Different societies have developed systems to manage negative individuals, including legal, cultural, political, and religious methods. Some systems are more effective than others, leading to a separation between the system and the people within a society. This highlights the importance of not equating a system with the individuals in a society and keeping this in mind, especially in politically contentious situations.