Societies Increased Rudeness

[phillyguy19102]

Hospitalitygirl has said it all perfectly!!!!!

[randomuser]

Entitlement increased rudeness. When you're not taught how to behave and how to carry yourself, you're not going to act right or be decent to others. I'm a young dude and I don't act like that nor do many people I know so it's not a generational thing.

Do you think it has anything to do with the large boomer population and what they have taught their children?

Without a doubt. Another big part of it that gets ignored is the fact that our country's general culture went from being an urban culture to a suburban one. As somebody pointed out, you can't correct anybody these days and certainly not with a right to the jaw the way you used to be able to, unless you're growing up in the same neighborhood as that person.

It's a combination of many factors.

Oh and anybody trying to counter with "people have always been *ssholes, old people are rude, etc" might want to remember that there are different kinds of rude. There's entitled rude, and then there's no-nonsense rude. Most old Philly-area people are no-nonsense rude. People expect them to be all warm and cuddly because they're old but people don't change just because they get older. You don't lose your edge or your backbone or your demeanor when you lose your hair or your hearing.

[Gladys]

Nick, while I generally agree with you...that seems to be the age old phrase "these people today". I think people having been saying that for generations. I don't htink it is a situation unique to the current era.

Yeah that's exactly what i was thinking.

Society's increased rudeness is an interesting thing to watch. I've thought about this.

How often would you think to bring a phone into the bathroom with you? How often would you think it completely necessary to never put the thing down? When you cross the street, are you mindful of traffic or do you lollygag along, oblivious to everything around you, except the usually inane phone conversation you're involved with?

I witness many examples of bad behavior regularly. I find it repulsive that people *choose* to bring their phones into the rest rooms with them. It's the one time I want some peace and quiet, and a modicum of privacy, even in a public rest room. But people are so involved in their conversations, which are rarely about anything important--I really don't want to hear your baby-daddy drama or whom did what to who, and just want a couple of minutes' peace.

Or walking down the street, and you see someone crossing, but moving so slowly and so completely oblivious to anyone else around him or her that they could be run over as a result of their own foolish inattentiveness and ignorance.

So many people walk around with a phone/device of some sort glued to their ears, that it becomes clear that they're in their own bubbles and at some point that carries over into so many other things that they do. They don't even realize how bad their behavior is.

Have you sat down to dinner with someone who keeps the phone out and checks their facebook page and emails? Or is involved in numerous texts? You're attempting to have dinner and enjoy conversation, but whatever it is that they're doing is much more important. And eventually that self-centeredness carries over into every other aspect of their lives, at some point affecting others.

I've said that the smart phone is the equivalent of reading a book on an airplane. It says, stay away, unless you're texting.

I have a friend that is glued to his. We often go out to eat and i make him either turn it off or put it away, otherwise he'll keep texting or emailing while we're talking and that's just rude. I see people at dinner with eachother doing that all the time, it makes no sense. some people don't even like talking on the phone but only text.

ACCEPT on the bus... or train... then it's all "baby-daddy" drama or **** this and **** that at the top of their lungs. I have no shame in changing seats and do so frequently.

Back in my day, we didn't have elevators. We used the stairs.

good one. in my day you actually used chalk.

I think you hit the nail on the head.
The boomer population for the most part were the "me me me" generation who were all about themselves.
They have made the word narcissistic more popular in the last 40 to 50 years and have passed these traits on
to their off spring. How do I know this? my older siblings are baby boomers and at least two of them are selfish
and it reflects in their own children.

how is it possible that there was so much difference btwn you and your siblings you really think it has to to with an arbitrary and not even universally agreed on dateline barrier?

where in Canada was that?
I visited Niagara Falls back in 98 and the people there were rude ( the locals ).
Perhaps it was the impatience of the locals because it is a tourist town.

I find certain cultures tend to be more rude over others and perhaps its because of their culture
that they do this.

Try the US side, WNYers are known for their hospitality, of course so are Canadians - unless you are a rude tourist, then you get what you get.

[Jtom]

Old people aren't necessarily ruder, but some people do seem to get more argumentative as they age. I should know as someone who lives in the Northeast, which is basically a naturally-occurring retirement community.

Anyway, in this city, you should count yourself lucky to get through the day without getting mugged or shot. Forget about rudeness! Haha.

[FKD19124]

Try the US side, WNYers are known for their hospitality, of course so are Canadians - unless you are a rude tourist, then you get what you get.

wasnt being rude.

[DCnPhilly]

Is it just me or has anyone else noticed how people are generally becoming more and more rude as the time goes on?

Remember when people actually cared and/or had a lil courtesy towards other people?

What has happened to society? No one cares about the other person anymore.

Case in point:

Today I was getting ready to walk out of the elevator. As soon as the door opened, a couple of persons were standing right in front of the door. I actually had to step aside and let them on first.

WTF, you gotta be kidding me, no?

I think its partially regional and its one of the few things I can't stand about Philadelphia. I was in Savannah last week and astounded by the number of cars that waited for me to cross the street before inching towards my ankles. Philadelphia and northern cities have always been rude. Maybe its the weather and sheer volume of people that makes everyone pi$$y.

When it comes to things like smart phones and new technology, I don't think its inherently related to rudeness, but that we haven't yet attributed any rules of etiquette surrounding these new things. There are several funny books about manners for the new millennium, including how rude it is to talk to your kid's soccer coach from the bathroom stall.

[randomuser]

I think its partially regional and its one of the few things I can't stand about Philadelphia. I was in Savannah last week and astounded by the number of cars that waited for me to cross the street before inching towards my ankles. Philadelphia and northern cities have always been rude. Maybe its the weather and sheer volume of people that makes everyone pi$$y.

I'm tired of hearing this. The people who call Philadelphians and those of the general area rude are often some of the most immature, rude, self-centered people one could ever encounter. They expect everybody to bend over backwards for them and when they encounter people not going out of their way to be polite, they say "everybody's so rude here!". Most likely, those people are capable of being much ruder and worse people than many of the "rude" people they encounter in this area. They just don't have the stones to be direct about it unless they know they can get away with it.

Without a doubt, drivers in this area can definitely be rude, but that doesn't mean the people in general are rude. Either way, I'd rather be around "rude", direct people than "polite", catty, fake people any day of the week.

[darthsinatra]

Here is something my wife and I notice pretty consistently: when passing people going in the other direction on a narrow sidewalk, most of the time we are the ones who yield, and some of the time we are made to walk into the street to avoid bumping into someone. Nobody gets out of the way. Not even a slight turn of the shoulder. Same deal at the ballpark: everyone seems only interested in getting where they're going quickly, with no regard for others around them. Add alcohol to that mix and it's worse.

But in my opinion, to call this behavior rude implies that there is some animosity or intent. What I see is something mentioned upthread: a lot of obliviousness. I get impatient and sometime upset, but then I remember that the idiot in front of me at the coffee shop isn't conversing on her cell phone at an inappropriate volume to annoy me. She is simply unaware that her behavior is boorish and annoying, and that's her problem, not mine.

[FKD19124]

I don't think its they expect people to bend over backwards for them but they don't like the rude attitudes.

I'm tired of hearing this. The people who call Philadelphians and those of the general area rude are often some of the most immature, rude, self-centered people one could ever encounter. They expect everybody to bend over backwards for them and when they encounter people not going out of their way to be polite, they say "everybody's so rude here!". Most likely, those people are capable of being much ruder and worse people than many of the "rude" people they encounter in this area. They just don't have the stones to be direct about it unless they know they can get away with it.

Without a doubt, drivers in this area can definitely be rude, but that doesn't mean the people in general are rude. Either way, I'd rather be around "rude", direct people than "polite", catty, fake people any day of the week.

[NE19149]

Society's increased rudeness is an interesting thing to watch. I've thought about this.

How often would you think to bring a phone into the bathroom with you? How often would you think it completely necessary to never put the thing down? When you cross the street, are you mindful of traffic or do you lollygag along, oblivious to everything around you, except the usually inane phone conversation you're involved with?

I witness many examples of bad behavior regularly. I find it repulsive that people *choose* to bring their phones into the rest rooms with them. It's the one time I want some peace and quiet, and a modicum of privacy, even in a public rest room. But people are so involved in their conversations, which are rarely about anything important--I really don't want to hear your baby-daddy drama or whom did what to who, and just want a couple of minutes' peace.

Or walking down the street, and you see someone crossing, but moving so slowly and so completely oblivious to anyone else around him or her that they could be run over as a result of their own foolish inattentiveness and ignorance.

So many people walk around with a phone/device of some sort glued to their ears, that it becomes clear that they're in their own bubbles and at some point that carries over into so many other things that they do. They don't even realize how bad their behavior is.

Have you sat down to dinner with someone who keeps the phone out and checks their facebook page and emails? Or is involved in numerous texts? You're attempting to have dinner and enjoy conversation, but whatever it is that they're doing is much more important. And eventually that self-centeredness carries over into every other aspect of their lives, at some point affecting others.

People that know me, and come into my home for dinner or entertainment, do NOT use their cellphones... for online nonsense that they have the freedom to do elsewhere, on their own time.
They know it's rude, just like they know not to call me before I've had my morning coffee. (I'm such a bitch)
Camera photos, ok. I can deal with that.
It's common courtesy, of course.

[darthsinatra]

People that know me, and come into my home for dinner or entertainment, do NOT use their cellphones... for online nonsense that they have the freedom to do elsewhere, on their own time.
They know it's rude, just like they know not to call me before I've had my morning coffee. (I'm such a bitch)
Camera photos, ok. I can deal with that.
It's common courtesy, of course.

So you're having friends over for drinks or whatever and someone takes her phone out to send or receive an SMS. What happens next?

[Zep]

so you're having friends over for drinks or whatever and someone takes her phone out to send or receive an sms. What happens next?

"get out of my house!"

[Debbie1125]

How often would you think to bring a phone into the bathroom with you? How often would you think it completely necessary to never put the thing down? When you cross the street, are you mindful of traffic or do you lollygag along, oblivious to everything around you, except the usually inane phone conversation you're involved with?

I witness many examples of bad behavior regularly. I find it repulsive that people *choose* to bring their phones into the rest rooms with them. It's the one time I want some peace and quiet, and a modicum of privacy, even in a public rest room. But people are so involved in their conversations, which are rarely about anything important--I really don't want to hear your baby-daddy drama or whom did what to who, and just want a couple of minutes' peace.

Or walking down the street, and you see someone crossing, but moving so slowly and so completely oblivious to anyone else around him or her that they could be run over as a result of their own foolish inattentiveness and ignorance.

So many people walk around with a phone/device of some sort glued to their ears, that it becomes clear that they're in their own bubbles and at some point that carries over into so many other things that they do. They don't even realize how bad their behavior is.

Have you sat down to dinner with someone who keeps the phone out and checks their facebook page and emails? Or is involved in numerous texts? You're attempting to have dinner and enjoy conversation, but whatever it is that they're doing is much more important. And eventually that self-centeredness carries over into every other aspect of their lives, at some point affecting others.

I agree with everything you're saying. However, I think the worst are people talking on their phones in the bathroom. It's pretty damned bad if you can't even wait a few minutes until you are off of the toilet to make a call.

In response to the OP, have you noticed that people talk louder even when they're not on cell phones? Could it be because they're so used to it from the cells that it carries over into person to person conversations?

[randomuser]

I don't think its they expect people to bend over backwards for them but they don't like the rude attitudes.

No they definitely expect people to bend over backwards for them. They don't like the fact that the city and general area really can be cold and disinterested. They're used to the attention and fakeness of wherever they're from. The difference is that around here people can be cold or even rude if you're in their way or holding them up but completely different when you get to know them or are in a situation outside of the situations that bring that out in people, and out there (wherever there is) people can be nice and polite to complete strangers but then completely awful to them once they know them or will talk sh*t about them behind their backs. There's exceptions of course but that's the general way it works.

That's how it works in Europe, Canada, the West Coast, the Midwest, the South, and really every other place that's so well-known for its "politeness".

[Zep]

Europe is known for "politeness"? Uh...since when?

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

[randomuser]

Europe is known for "politeness"? Uh...since when?

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

Since pretty much forever. The whole "ugly American" thing. Europe is known as being "refined" and all of that other bullsh*t.

[Zep]

Since pretty much forever. The whole "ugly American" thing. Europe is known as being "refined" and all of that other bullsh*t.

The whole "ugly American" thing is an example of European rudeness. Have you ever even been there? Because it really seems like you haven't.

[randomuser]

The whole "ugly American" thing is an example of European rudeness. Have you ever even been there? Because it really seems like you haven't.

I don't think you're getting the fact that that is exactly what I'm saying.

People who don't know any better or are ashamed to be American think Europeans are these "refined, polite, wonderfully superior" people. It's all we ever hear about, just like all we ever hear about around here is how rude we are compared to those "refined, polite, wonderfully superior" people in California and on the West Coast, in the Midwest, in the South, and in Canada.

Don't make assumptions. You know what happens when you assume.

[Zep]

I don't think you're getting the fact that that is exactly what I'm saying.

People who don't know any better or are ashamed to be American think Europeans are these "refined, polite, wonderfully superior" people. It's all we ever hear about, just like all we ever hear about around here is how rude we are compared to those "refined, polite, wonderfully superior" people in California and on the West Coast, in the Midwest, in the South, and in Canada.

Don't make assumptions. You know what happens when you assume.

I have literally never met anyone who thinks this and it sounds like a caricature that you've made up in your head. I also enjoy you telling me not to make assumptions and then telling me that something is all "we" ever hear about.

[NE19149]

So you're having friends over for drinks or whatever and someone takes her phone out to send or receive an SMS. What happens next?

This doesn't happen in my house.
Phones are shut off - in consideration of my rules.

If my landline rings during dinner, the machine can pick it up..... we're EATING.