Survey Says: Americans Are Getting Ruder
Robert Paul Reyes
October 27, 2005
Yo, listen up fools, an Associated Press (AP) poll found that 70 percent of those surveyed feel folks are ruder and more vulgar than 30 years ago. According to the AP "Americans' fast paced, high-tech society has taken a toll on civility."
In recent years Americans have developed these traits that breed hostility, rudeness and vulgarity:
Americans demand instant gratification: Cash dispensed in seconds from an ATM, information just a click away and fast food dished up in minutes. All too often when gratification is delayed, people explode in rage. When too many seconds tick away without our plane taking off, our meal arriving or our movie starting -- we become ticking time bombs.
Americans may want everything in a hurry, but they dress like they are just lounging around. A couple of generations ago, men wore a suit and tie to a baseball game, but now they won't even don one to attend church. Young women wear flip-flops to meet the President at the White House and guys wear ratty jeans to work. This casual wear reveals a disrespect for your fellow human beings. A woman doing her grocery shopping wearing no makeup, sweat pants and her hair in curlers, is telling her fellow shoppers: I don't care what you think of me, just get out of my way.
Americans are too self-absorbed, we care only about ourselves, and don't consider how our actions may affect others. We are too busy to find a trash can, so we spit out our gum -- never mind that it may get stuck in someone's shoe. The vending machine won't dispense product, so we kick it and end up breaking it -- preventing anyone else from using it.
Americans are much coarser than ever before. It used to be that we didn't utter the "F-Word" unless someone had insulted our mother or spouse, but now the "F-Word" is bandied about like nobody's business. "Hey Fred, long time no see, how the f*** are you, I f**** missed you man, stay in f***** touch." If a foreigner learns how to conjugate the "F-Word" he will be able to hold a conversation with most Americans.
Are we slouching towards Armageddon? Can anything reverse this slide into rudeness, vulgarity and hostility? Well folks, don't be so freakin' worried, signs of a return to civilized behavior are everywhere. Restaurants, bars and movie theatres are banning cell phones. Cities are enforcing litter and noise ordinances. More workplaces are banning casual wear.
But what can you do to bring back civilized behavior? Well, you don't have to join a convent or become a full-time do-gooder, a simple "thanks" or "have a nice day" can go a long way.
Try it, a simple "thanks" will make you feel better than screaming an obscenity, and it just may save civilization.
In recent years Americans have developed these traits that breed hostility, rudeness and vulgarity:
Americans demand instant gratification: Cash dispensed in seconds from an ATM, information just a click away and fast food dished up in minutes. All too often when gratification is delayed, people explode in rage. When too many seconds tick away without our plane taking off, our meal arriving or our movie starting -- we become ticking time bombs.
Americans may want everything in a hurry, but they dress like they are just lounging around. A couple of generations ago, men wore a suit and tie to a baseball game, but now they won't even don one to attend church. Young women wear flip-flops to meet the President at the White House and guys wear ratty jeans to work. This casual wear reveals a disrespect for your fellow human beings. A woman doing her grocery shopping wearing no makeup, sweat pants and her hair in curlers, is telling her fellow shoppers: I don't care what you think of me, just get out of my way.
Americans are too self-absorbed, we care only about ourselves, and don't consider how our actions may affect others. We are too busy to find a trash can, so we spit out our gum -- never mind that it may get stuck in someone's shoe. The vending machine won't dispense product, so we kick it and end up breaking it -- preventing anyone else from using it.
Americans are much coarser than ever before. It used to be that we didn't utter the "F-Word" unless someone had insulted our mother or spouse, but now the "F-Word" is bandied about like nobody's business. "Hey Fred, long time no see, how the f*** are you, I f**** missed you man, stay in f***** touch." If a foreigner learns how to conjugate the "F-Word" he will be able to hold a conversation with most Americans.
Are we slouching towards Armageddon? Can anything reverse this slide into rudeness, vulgarity and hostility? Well folks, don't be so freakin' worried, signs of a return to civilized behavior are everywhere. Restaurants, bars and movie theatres are banning cell phones. Cities are enforcing litter and noise ordinances. More workplaces are banning casual wear.
But what can you do to bring back civilized behavior? Well, you don't have to join a convent or become a full-time do-gooder, a simple "thanks" or "have a nice day" can go a long way.
Try it, a simple "thanks" will make you feel better than screaming an obscenity, and it just may save civilization.
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