Are People Today More Rude?

[kat]

Last night I went to my nephew's band concert. He goes to a different school than ds, so we opted to sit on the back row and let other school patrons have better seats. Nephew is in 7th grade, but the jr. and sr. high bands were also scheduled to play. 7th was first and there were people standing behind us (there were plenty of seats still available) and they talked the whole time the band played. They did not whisper, they carried on their conversations in loud voices, after all they had to be heard over the music. I'd look back at them but they would not be quite. I just had to shake my head. Then when 7th was done, lots of people got up to leave. I couldn't believe it. I think when you go to a concert you should be considerate enough to stay for the whole thing. Ds asked if we could go and I said absolutely not.
Is it just me, or do you think that is rude?

[Diane]

I think some people can be VERY rude. When I was shopping at Wal Mart a the other day one of the isles I was trying to get down was blocked by two carts. Both ladies were nowhere near their cart... WAY down the isles looking at something else. There sat their purses wide open with their wallets sitting in plain view. I stood there for a few minutes waiting to see if one of them would notice that I was standing there and when nobody did I decided that if I wanted to get through I'd have to move one. When I did, she certainly noticed... she quickly came over and grabbed her cart and made a comment about "leaving other people's things alone." Well... I'm not one to keep my big mouth shut and I was alone so I "politely" said something about how I had waited but she hadn't noticed so I moved it myself. She looked at me and told me I still had "no RIGHT!!!". I shook my head and moved on. Ugh!!!!! (She's lucky she caught me on a good day... LOL) My dd and her boyfriend went to a movie the other night and this lady and her two children (kinda) sat in front of them. The kids, one about 5 and the other around 3 wouldn't sit still nor would they be quiet. Dd said that they were jumping up and down in their seats talking in loud voices back and forth to each other while the mother just sat there. Finally when the kids decided to turn around and stare at them, they asked the kids to please turn around, sit stll, be quiet and watch the movie. Ugh... STILL, the mom did/said nothing while the kids continued to talk loudly and jump around. Finally when the movie was over with the mother of the two kids turned around and started yelling at my dd, her boyfriend and the other couple that they were with telling them to mind their own business and that they had no RIGHT telling HER kids what to do. Dd (like me) smiled and told her that perhaps if SHE had done it... THEY wouldn't have had to. LOL Now, I don't know who would consider who rude. Maybe some of you would think that my dd and her friends were, but I feel that when you pay good money to go see a movie you have every right to be able to go in, sit down and watch/hear it without a bunch of interruptions. Some people just don't GET it... They expect us to "put up" with whatever it is they want to do... It IS frustrating. :)

Diane... :) :wave:

[RCT]

think that people are ruder now then when I was coming up....I think people are under more pressure, and stressed out, and FORGET that they are part of the HUMAN RACE and need to remember to be curtious....helpful, PLEASANT.....I agree that sometimes I get so angry when I am rudely assulted at the local WalMart or anywhere for that matter, and I try to remember that for some reason these people have forgotten themselfs, and thats really too bad....for them.....

[Ryleigh]

I agree that people today do seem to be much ruder.
When ds was about 2 1/2 we were at Wal-mart one day and a mid-age gentleman came by, crashed into the side of our cart and said "would you just get out of the */^$## way" Spencer looked at him and said " does your mommy know you were eating grumpy pills for breakfast?" The man turned red, turned the other direction and left before I could say anything. I don't condone my children talking to anyone like that, but I had to hold back a laugh.

[Linda/NE]

I think some people are ruder today than in the past. I agree with RCT that is probably has to do with more pressure, stress, etc. That doesn't excuse the behavior but I think it explains where it's coming from. I also think there's been almost a movement in society to look out for one's self to such a degree that others are overlooked.

As for the band concert, I've have to say we were guilty of leaving before the concert was over. Ds , a 5th grader, had a winter concert just before Christmas. I think he played 2 songs with his group. First of all, we didn't find out about it until a couple days before (ds is AWFUL about getting notes home). Dh already had a meeting scheduled that night. We had just sat through a 3 hr. program the week before at the boys' school and a shorter program at dd's preschool. It didn't help that they charged admission to the concert.(I've never in my life heard of charging admission to see your own kid play in concert they are required to attend!) Anyway,with so much going we were programed out and stressed. We did listen politely and left at a break time inbetween groups so as not to disturb others around us wanting to hear. I'm sure we appeared rude to other people, and maybe we were. But those same people would have been annoyed at our kids getting restless as the concert drug on so it was probably a no win situation anyway! LOL

[angie r]

Originally posted by Diane P.
My dd and her boyfriend went to a movie the other night and this lady and her two children (kinda) sat in front of them. The kids, one about 5 and the other around 3 wouldn't sit still nor would they be quiet. Dd said that they were jumping up and down in their seats talking in loud voices back and forth to each other while the mother just sat there. Finally when the kids decided to turn around and stare at them, they asked the kids to please turn around, sit stll, be quiet and watch the movie. Ugh... STILL, the mom did/said nothing while the kids continued to talk loudly and jump around. Finally when the movie was over with the mother of the two kids turned around and started yelling at my dd, her boyfriend and the other couple that they were with telling them to mind their own business and that they had no RIGHT telling HER kids what to do. Dd (like me) smiled and told her that perhaps if SHE had done it... THEY wouldn't have had to. LOL Now, I don't know who would consider who rude. Maybe some of you would think that my dd and her friends were, but I feel that when you pay good money to go see a movie you have every right to be able to go in, sit down and watch/hear it without a bunch of interruptions. Some people just don't GET it... They expect us to "put up" with whatever it is they want to do... It IS frustrating. :)

Diane... :) :wave:

I would have said something to the parents once. Then gone out to tell a manager and let them handle it. You certainly have the right to watch a movie in peace. You pay enough for it!!!

[Brichard]

I do think people are not as polite as they once were. But there are still lots of really nice people out there.

I've mentioned this before, but one of my biggest pet peeves is people walking rudely.

Let me explain.

You should walk on the same side as you drive. If you are walking in a mall, sidewalk... stand on the right side. When walking outside I've been told the man should walk closest to the road (I guess to shield from splashes etc.,) but I'm not that picky.

But there are some people that will practically run you into a wall they take up so much space. People walking 5 or six abreast and squeezing you over. I'm not saying people should walk single file, but drop back when people approach for crying out loud!

I went to lunch from some people from my office once and we paid particular attention to people and it was amazing.

I'm to the point now where I'll just stop in my tracks and make people walk around me. This is only when I'm on a sidewalk with 4 lanes, and 4 people are walking up. I'm so non-confrontational that I used to step aside, but now I'm like... "You have to be kidding me!"

Another thing I notice is that younger people won't give up their seats to older adults when waiting in a resteraunt. I always offer my seat.

It is all about parenting.

The good news is that there still are lots of nice people out there, but we have a ways to go!

[Melody]

Yes they are.

Ryleigh, I love what your ds said to the man about the grumpy pills for breakfast. Too funny.

Brichard, I too hate when a group of people hog the sidewalk. It's like they are afraid to come apart for never getting in line again or something.

As for the movies, I would have told the kids to sit still and be quiet (very politely so as not to step on toes) and if that didn't work, go to the manager. Sometimes there aren't enough seats to be able to move somewhere else. Some people believe the world is supposed to revolve around them and it isn't...it's supposed to go around me! LOL

[kat]

We did listen politely and left at a break time inbetween groups so as not to disturb others around us wanting to hear. I'm sure we appeared rude to other people, and maybe we were. But those same people would have been annoyed at our kids getting restless as the concert drug on so it was probably a no win situation anyway! LOL

Oh, I definitely understand. I had more of a problem with the adults talking behind me than the people leaving. Most, but not all, left during a change in bands on stage. I'm sure they all didn't have other things to do. It just seems to me that we could stay and support all the kids, not just our own. Not only was my nephew playing, but former students who had changed schools and kids from church, etc. I think we need a little more of the "it takes a village mentality".