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Rodney · 08-30-2003, 09:43 PM

Well, whenever somebody says something like , "the world is going to hell, people are more (fill in negative attribute here) than ever before, " I'm usually the one to say, "No it was this bad 30 years ago."

Except that it wasn't. There have always been a lot of rude people, but we as a nation have gotten even ruder than I remember -- and I did work fast food and retail 25-30 years ago, so I have a basis for comparison. What's the problem? Could be several things.

First, we don't live in tight communities anymore. Used to be, people lived and shopped near where they worked, and did business with people they already knew, or friends or relatives of those people. If you were a shithead, it got around. That tended to restrain some people. If you piss off some sales clerk and it's your brother-in-law's poker buddy, you're going to hear about it. But we don't have that anymore. You probably have no connection to any of the people you see on the street or in stores even in a mid-sized city or 'burb. So what's to stop you from being an asshole? Nobody you know is ever going to hear about it.

Second, no-bullshit kind of guy I used to know liked to say, "Where the fists are slow, the mouths are fast." In other words, no matter what the papers say, we live in a world where everyday fighting, use of force, whatever you want to call it, is not an option for anybody who's got anything to lose. You could not only get arrested, you could get sued. Even for restraining somebody without hitting them. So once again, there's not even the threat of a downside for being rude.

Finally, everybody's so wrapped up in themselves that they don't see other people as people anymore. I think it's really sad. It's like some people feel that they don't need anybody else anymore -- because they've got money, or are important, or whatever -- so there's no reason to be nice to anyone.

There are always going to be people who are good to others, because they see everybody as a person who's got a life to live, and realize that we all need to work together to make society work. But then there've always been those guys who only obey the social rules because of social pressure. These days, that pressure is off.

08-30-2003, 09:43 PM	#6 (permalink)
Rodney Observant Ruminant Location: Rich Wannabe Hippie Town	Well, whenever somebody says something like , "the world is going to hell, people are more (fill in negative attribute here) than ever before, " I'm usually the one to say, "No it was this bad 30 years ago." Except that it wasn't. There have always been a lot of rude people, but we as a nation have gotten even ruder than I remember -- and I did work fast food and retail 25-30 years ago, so I have a basis for comparison. What's the problem? Could be several things. First, we don't live in tight communities anymore. Used to be, people lived and shopped near where they worked, and did business with people they already knew, or friends or relatives of those people. If you were a shithead, it got around. That tended to restrain some people. If you piss off some sales clerk and it's your brother-in-law's poker buddy, you're going to hear about it. But we don't have that anymore. You probably have no connection to any of the people you see on the street or in stores even in a mid-sized city or 'burb. So what's to stop you from being an asshole? Nobody you know is ever going to hear about it. Second, no-bullshit kind of guy I used to know liked to say, "Where the fists are slow, the mouths are fast." In other words, no matter what the papers say, we live in a world where everyday fighting, use of force, whatever you want to call it, is not an option for anybody who's got anything to lose. You could not only get arrested, you could get sued. Even for restraining somebody without hitting them. So once again, there's not even the threat of a downside for being rude. Finally, everybody's so wrapped up in themselves that they don't see other people as people anymore. I think it's really sad. It's like some people feel that they don't need anybody else anymore -- because they've got money, or are important, or whatever -- so there's no reason to be nice to anyone. There are always going to be people who are good to others, because they see everybody as a person who's got a life to live, and realize that we all need to work together to make society work. But then there've always been those guys who only obey the social rules because of social pressure. These days, that pressure is off.