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Generation rude

Contributed by: Kelsey Page on 3/23/2006

Usually, the word teenager brings a lengthy list of adjectives to many adults' minds. High school has never had a nice, welcoming reputation, and the lack of simple politeness does by no means help this.

Whoever didn't teach their children that saying "thank you" and "please" were mandatory social graces must be living in a cave; obviously someone hasn't been watching Sesame Street.

I have yet to meet a person whose passion in life is to hold doors open for a continuous stream of people. For one day, I counted the number of students who said "thank you" when I opened the door for them, all two of them.

Sadly, one of those thank you's came from a dear friend of mine who has actually ventured out of that cave and into the real world. Does anyone know how long a person will be physically forced (this is one mean mob) to hold that door open? I'd like to be on time too.

This problem has gotten so bad, that I have found myself begging for someone to just put their hand out, no eye contact or thank you required (although it would be much appreciated).

I pray that I will never see the day when my children will think that "thank you" is a French entre; yet if our society continues on the same path it's on now; that entre is lookin' pretty good. Customer service is supposedly valued as most companies' (or at least those still in business) priorities.

How will anyone in my generation get or keep a job if they keep this attitude that they are so far above every other human on earth that even the simplest niceties are completely unnecessary? I hope that someday people will truly understand why it's so important to be nice and respectful to others, and that their parents will also start emphasizing manners.

This is civilization.

The Internet, television, and iPod's aren't what make us civilized, they just make our lives easier. It's the way we treat other people that has been around for hundreds of years that's worth hanging onto.

Apparently, virtues such as kindness and respect no longer have any value in a "modern" society. Just when we thought we were progressing through technology, we lose sight of something more important.


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Showing 1-7 of 7 comments
Submitted By: Madelon Tibbett
posted on 4/5/2006 @ 6:04:29 PM
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so very true, it amazing me how few people from this generation understand the importance of proper manners. When someone says "Thank You" the proper response is "Your Welcome" NOT "No Problem" And further more one thing that has ALWAYSED bothered me is when someone who is OBVIOUSLY at least 10 or 20 years younger than I am calls me "Honey" or "Sweetie" "Here ya go hone". That to me is disrespectful. Im not your "honey", or your "sweetie" if I were a little child it would be acceptable. I think we owe it to our children to TEACH them from DAY ONE, how to respect each other.
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Submitted By: Charity waller
posted on 3/23/2006 @ 5:43:53 PM
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Amen. Thank you for your imput on this important subject I am glad to hear this from someone from MY generation. Now, how do we fix this problem?
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Submitted By: Michelle Herdt
posted on 3/23/2006 @ 12:26:40 PM
Rated Story
Thank you so very much for this article. I am glad to know that other people have realized that manners have fallen by the wayside. Have we as a people gotten so lax that we over look the very things that make us civilized?! Are we too busy to stop and recognise a polite gesture by our friends & neighbors by saying Thank You or Your Welcome! On any given day at the mall, I can be held up at an entrance holding the door as people rush by, only to have one even aknowledge me - a thank you would be too much to ask for? And it is not limited just to the younger crowd, all ages are guilty. It is a breath of fresh air to hear your words.
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Submitted By: Don S
posted on 3/23/2006 @ 11:01:23 AM
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Here! Here! I appreciate your comments so, and agree! One may look back for centuries of recorded history and discover that each generation finds a new "darker" pursuit than those before, and more dangerous. Observer's comments are consistent in wondering, "what will happen to them (the children), where are we (society) going?" Taken small bit, by small bit, things may not seem all that bad, however, on the whole the chronic disloyalty, self-interest, selfishness, laziness and 'gifts expected' attitude becoming more and more prevalent is very worrysome. You are one of few who "gets it." Thanks, and pass it on!
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Submitted By: Jake Havlick
posted on 3/23/2006 @ 10:01:44 AM
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This is not the only problem with Generation Rx. It seems all of commercial media is targeted towards them. But what is amazing is that sales of such media continue you to crash. One reason is the crap they try to push on the general public (Lindsay Lohan, EMO, et al). The other reason is that the Gen Rx'ers don't buy the respective medium, THEY DOWNLOAD IT ILLEGALLY! Yet all the industry execs. wonder, "Why?". Unfortunately, this what the public has to expect, Pop Clutter for the ADD. So just keep feeding them Ritilin, because even though, they many not be able to say "Please" or "Thank You", at least their meds will keep them away from the more productive members of society.
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Submitted By: Brad Bettag
posted on 3/22/2006 @ 10:42:19 PM
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It's true, just a year ago during winter break I spent $60 of my christmas money on paying for the late night snacks of 15 of my friends at village in. I made a big deal out of the fact that of the 10 only 4 of my friends said thank you. What I decided is from that point on though, is no matter how bad society gets, I will never compromise my morals. It seems like you are taking that stand too. It's refreshing to see. heh I'm not the only one :-)
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Submitted By: Carl Group
posted on 3/22/2006 @ 6:50:50 AM
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Well said, young lady. You are young person whose parents cared about you and taught you well. This from a guy who appreciates civilized behavior and has done so for 81 years
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Showing 1-7 of 7 comments
CONTRIBUTOR INFORMATION

Kelsey Page

Boulder , CO

Kelsey Page has posted 56 stories and 11 comments since joining on 9/21/2005. Kelsey Page 's average story rating is 4.92.
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