Common Courtesy Isn't so Common
The trip started rather uneventfully, at least until we got on the two-lane road that leads to the mega-retailer, about four miles from our house. Wal-Mart is located on the left side of the road, and we were in the left lane in anticipation of the upcoming turn into the parking lot. I've noticed that most people who need to be in the lane that you are in will speed up in an attempt to get into the lane ahead of your position, rather than just falling in line behind you in a not-so-risky fashion. This evening proved no different as the car in the lane next to me sped up quickly, jerked over into my lane, then suddenly hit the brakes to turn into the parking lot. Of course, there was no turn signal for the lane change, a simple action that would have alerted me to my fellow driver's need for the left lane, to which I would have responded by simply, and cordially, easing off the accelerator to allow room for us both.
Once we found a parking space, we retrieved a shopping cart and made our way into the store. Countless times we were cut off or nearly hit by fellow shoppers paying more attention to their cell phones than to the people they almost ran over with their shopping carts. We then were subjected to the obligatory "What, are you stupid? Get out of my way!" look as we stood in the aisle in bewilderment.
After gathering up the items we needed, we proceeded to the checkout counter to complete our purchase. The lady in front of us at the register, who was also deeply engrossed in a cell phone conversation, had many more than the 15 items or less that the line was reserved for. After the clerk bagged her items and gave her the dollar amount owed, she told the person she was speaking to on the phone to hold on while she got out her checkbook to pay for her items, either oblivious to the fact that everyone else was waiting on her or just not caring if anyone else was inconvenienced.
We were finally able to leave the store, get into our car, and head back to the military base we call home. Unfortunately, getting out of the parking lot was more difficult than we expected. Why do people find it necessary to get into their cars, start the engines, pull out of their parking places, and then stop at the intersection of the parking lot and the street to find the right CD, or comb their hair, or put on lipstick? Why couldn't that be done in the parking space instead of holding up other cars trying to exit the lot?
As we headed down the road toward our house, the lady driving the car directly in front of us was clearly confused about where she was going. As we proceeded through the 35 miles-per-hour speed zone, we crawled along at an incredibly slow 15 miles-per-hour, stopping at various points so that she could desperately try to figure out which route she should take. By the time we got home, I wanted to scream at the world with all my might and live the rest of my days as a recluse in the mountains somewhere, ordering groceries and clothes from online retailers to be delivered by mail.
What has happened to basic courtesy? When did we become so concerned with ourselves that we stopped caring about how our actions impacted others? I don't claim to know what's going on in society today, but I do know that there has been a significant change in attitude as I have grown older. A casual wave to a neighbor used to result in a return wave and a hello. Now it often results in a strange stare as people wonder what you are up to. A door held for a woman used to be greeted with a sincere thank you. Now, many women don't even seem to notice that anyone is there. Society is in a hurry and few people are slowing down long enough to enjoy life, be considerate of others, and spread a little bit of goodwill.
Unfortunately, my trip to Wal-Mart was more the rule than the exception these days. The sequence of events last evening confirmed, for me at least, what I had long suspected: that common courtesy just isn't that common.
Published by Greg Reeson
I am a Featured Writer for The New Media Journal and a The Veteran's Voice. I also regularly contribute to GOPUSA and The Land of the Free. View profile
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- Society has changed over the years.
- The fast pace of life has impacted people's behaviors.
- Common courtesy is a thing of the past.
13 Comments
Post a CommentYour article is a very concise and alarmingly accurate example of what life can be like in modern society, but I can't say that I agree with you completely. You claimed that your experience was "more the rule than the exception," but in my personal experience, I don't really encounter that many people whom I would classify as "rude." Maybe it's because I'm just a little bit oblivious and don't notice them; maybe it's because I generally try to avoid places like Wal-Mart where I know people are going to be impatient; maybe I just have low standards for common courtesy. Or perhaps people just aren't as rude as I've been led to believe.
That aside, I read through your article, and to be perfectly frank, it didn't feel like an article. A page and a half of the two-page piece is nothing more than complaints about what happened on your trip. There wouldn't normally be anything wrong with that if you were using said complaints to make a point; however, the actual conclusion of your arti
People will act this way because they can get away with it hassle-free. People have and always will care about themselves more than others, so don't expect too much. The more people get away with it the more people will discover it's not necessary to be polite.
My goodness, I couldn't agree more! This article sounded like I had written it. People are rude and inconsiderate because they get away with it. One of the first things I taught my kids was compassion and that naturally translated into consideration as they matured. They are so different from others their age because they actually take into consideration how their actions affect people around them. What used to be Common Courtesy is now an Uncommon Occurrence. Sad.
Great article! I couldn't agree more. I am endlessly shocked by people's lack of manners and consideration for others. It's pathetic how cell phones have become more important to some people than their fellow living breathing humans beings.
I try really hard to always be kind and helpful to others. I hold open doors for them, I pick up things they dropped, I greet them a wave and a salutation, etc. It actually scares me that other people aren't so concious of their own manners.
your totally right! I have recently have talked to my teacher about the exact same thing, she said she so rarely sees the simple act of common coutesy anymore, and I totally agree with her. I went to K&W for dinner yesterday night and said a simple please when I ordered my food, and a simple thank-you when I recieved it, I swear that all 15 of the waitresses completely ignored me when I said that, of they were too "Prideful" to return any comment! It was an complete outrage!
your totally right! I have recently have talked to my teacher about the exact same thing, she said she so rarely sees the simple act of common coutesy anymore, and I totally agree with her. I went to K&W for dinner yesterday night and said a simple please when I ordered my food, and a simple thank-you when I recieved it, I swear that all 15 of the waitresses completely ignored me when I said that, of they were too "Prideful" to return any comment! It was an complete outrage!
Good article. I'm often amazed at how good manners have gone out the window.....
Right on!! Well said. Good manners are hard to come by these days.
I completly agree. People are just so rude these days. It is the same way with the people that walk into the movie theatre in the middle of the movie, and sit directly in front of you so you can't see. Even though there are a number of seats left in other areas.
"live the rest of my days as a recluse in the mountains somewhere, ordering groceries and clothes from online retailers to be delivered by mail." - I love that, sounds like a GREAT idea! :) -Nice article.