Things Aren't What They Used To Be #2 - Manners


Something that really bothers me while out in the wilds, is how people seem to think it's now OK to have less manners.

Back when I were nowt but a lad (in days gone by...) pretty much everyone said Please and Thank You, said Good Morning to people, gave up seats on the bus/train for the elderly, preggers or even just a lady without a seat, and offered help if it looked like it was needed.

Now, my kids aren't perfect (and the first person that claims they have perfect kids, I dub thee Liar Liar) and they do forget their manners every now and then, but for the most part, they are intact.  And, to be fair, a good majority of kids I know, friends kids and suchlike - they have manners too.  However, it would seem that most people of ALL ages have sort of given up.

No, I'm not going to single out the young shits in the world, this is across the whole spectrum of the population - kids, teens, young adults, proper adults, and oldies.

I don't know why, but I noticed so much of it today, I had to sigh and shake my head.  On the bus to school, a little old lady was struggling with her shopping trolley, so I jumped up and helped her with it.  Not a thanks, a smile, a nod, a grunt.  OK, fine.  Then on the way home again, a mum with a toddler was without a seat on a bus - so I got up and gave her mine.  She sat and didn't even acknowledge that I had given her my seat.  I suspect if I'd gotten up to pick up something, she'd have jumped in it.

The lollypop lady (crossing guard to you American sorts) that I chat with stood in the middle of the road today, holding back cars and trucks, letting a stream of young teens cross safely.  The only thanks she got were from Jaysen, Tam and myself.  She might as well have been invisible to the rest.

Sometimes, you really have to wonder at the mentality of people - even back in time and the various episodes I'd spend in London, people were so busy going about their business, rushing from A to B, that if you were in their way, you might as well have thrown yourself to the ground, because that's pretty much what they seem to want from you.  They'd barge past, hurrying along, even to the point of bumping you into the road.  Not a sorry, pardon me, excuse me, nothing...

Now surely... surely this isn't just because I am getting old, because EVERYONE seems to be doing it, young and old alike.  It would seem that we, as the human race, have suddenly decided "You know what, I'm going to be an asshat today" and just gotten on with their lives, looking out for #1 in all things.

A couple of weeks back, we sat talking with James (who, incidentally got the Bronze in the MAI Kickboxing Championships - go say Hi!) in Kellies living room, talking about the attitude of the world today.  Everyone wants everything, and they want everything now.  No waiting, no patience, gimmie it all this instant.  It's like someone's introduced the genetic code for a spoiled toddler into the water system.  Fast Food, Broadband, Games, downloading what I want when I want where I want how I want, no time for exercise or diet, I'll just get surgery and strap on some electrical shock device to train my muscles.  TV in Demand, Movies on Demand, Pause and Rewind Live TV, Record entire TV shows and watch them...

Manners, it would seem, have been pushed out and left by the wayside. 

And the next time an old coot rides over my foot in her mobility scooter, I smack them across the wrinkled arse if I don't get a sorry!

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2 Responses to “Things Aren't What They Used To Be #2 - Manners”

Anonymous said...

Yep your right. I never get a please or thanks when I help anyone (be it a mother or an oldie or whatever) and it really annoys me. We always try and make sure that Amy says please and thanks you and even little Zoe will say "lease" when she wants something.

When I was preggers with Amy no one gave me a seat on the train apart from - get this - another pregnant woman!!!! We ended up taking it in turns to sit down. Grrrrrrrrr

Anyways we can put the world to rights later :o)

Dan said...

I think we should all carry a taser with us, so when someone forgets their manners... BZZZZZZ! That should get people remembering ;)