Is American society becoming a society of irritated people? (generation, bias, compared)
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I remember a few months ago I was in Orlando taking public transportation. The bus had arrived and I was waiting in line to get in. This old lady was taking her time walking up the steps and getting her ticket ready. I saw this young girl behind her roll her eyes and make a stank face and grunt "ugh!". I could hardly believe it. I was like wth is going on in this country when kids don't even have patience or respect for the elderly to simply get on a bus?
It seems like people are disinterested in other people and the notion of the day is to be irritated by those around for minor issues.
I've seen people get irritated because the person in front of them in the elevator wasn't moving fast enough to get off. WOW....a wow 1.5 seconds is going to cause you to be late. Also, people are very brash with one another in their dealings. Condescending remarks, always looking to ape the next persons point of view.
It seems society has lost the ability to be cordial. Do you think a lot of it has to do with the "instant" society we live in? Instant messages, instant email, texting, instant downloading of books. I will not "blame" the technology for human errors, after all we supposed to be smarter than the technology.
But based on my observation( I'm a people watcher) people are becoming less patient and it seems it's all about reacting to people in a harsh tone. I have neighbors that live in the same 4 UNIT apartment building and I can tell they are going out of their way to AVOID eye contact or saying anything. I can remember when I was a kid, If didn't say hi to my neighbors as I walked pass their homes, I got "in trouble" when I got home. Not that I am looking for someone to say hi, but some things are very obvious.
People are into their own world and as a result haven't developed social skills which causes them to be irritated. This irritation comes from unrealistic expectations.
Give your thoughts.
Where do you live? It sounds awful! I've only noticed this on the road--other drivers getting overly upset over minor things. Or over nothing at all. I saw someone go out of their way, suddenly veering across several empty lanes, just to park themselves behind someone who was waiting to make a turn against incoming traffic. As if the person turning were blocking traffic himself (that side of the road was clear for blocks behind, except for the person who veered over to give them a hard time, honking incessantly). Driving is strange in this country. Other than that, people are pretty nice.
It seems like people are disinterested in other people and the notion of the day is to be irritated by those around for minor issues.
I've seen people get irritated because the person in front of them in the elevator wasn't moving fast enough to get off. WOW....a wow 1.5 seconds is going to cause you to be late. Also, people are very brash with one another in their dealings. Condescending remarks, always looking to ape the next persons point of view.
It seems society has lost the ability to be cordial. Do you think a lot of it has to do with the "instant" society we live in? Instant messages, instant email, texting, instant downloading of books. I will not "blame" the technology for human errors, after all we supposed to be smarter than the technology.
But based on my observation( I'm a people watcher) people are becoming less patient and it seems it's all about reacting to people in a harsh tone. I have neighbors that live in the same 4 UNIT apartment building and I can tell they are going out of their way to AVOID eye contact or saying anything. I can remember when I was a kid, If didn't say hi to my neighbors as I walked pass their homes, I got "in trouble" when I got home. Not that I am looking for someone to say hi, but some things are very obvious.
People are into their own world and as a result haven't developed social skills which causes them to be irritated. This irritation comes from unrealistic expectations.
Give your thoughts.
I was in a traffic left turn lane, but there was a car in front of me in the middle turning into a mall parking lot (a friendly mall no less!) and i was the 2nd car, i wasnt out in the middle waiting to turn, so, when the light turned orange, i just waited. If i had went, i would have kinda went thru the red light even though people do this all the time. So, the light eventually turns green and i go and make my left, the guy behind me is raging and i'm not sure why. Even if i had went thru half the red light, he still would have had to wait, it wasnt like he was going to be able to get thru it if i had to go thru the red myself to get thru it.
He pulls up alongside me and starts F bombing me and calling me all sorts of names and motioning me to pull over because he was going to get out of the car and 'teach me a lesson'.
Where does this anger come from? Someone has to get so riled up because i didnt go thru a red light so HE could go thru the red light? Was he in THAT much of a hurry to get into a MALL?
WTF is wrong with people? You see this behavior a LOT these days, people just have no patience, if you are out in society on a regular basis, you see a lot of examples of this stuff, this nation needs to calm down.
Location: The western periphery of Terra Australis
24,682 posts, read 55,041,693 times
Reputation: 11862
Quote:
Originally Posted by chris123678
I find this thread very interesting. Not sure if this is society as a whole or just me but I'm short tempered when it comes to ignorance and rudeness.
In my City, Philadelphia, I got on the Market Frankford Line,(elevated subway)
Anyhow- As I was on the escalator, I head the train coming and you can see through the windows, the train leaving the next station.(4 blocks apart) Anyhow, This woman was in front of me and she would NOT move forward, despite my continued efforts saying excuse me, 3 times. I had to bump into her as I walked up the moving stairs.
So I think certain scenarios, all of us just don't have patience.
I was roughly pushed out of the way with a 'get out of the way' on an escalator in Sydney, which seems to have a lot of rude, impatient people, so it's not only an American phenomenon. People seem to be busier, more stressed, more impatient and more irritable than ever. They're constantly moaning and biatching about the crap that happens in their lives and about how terrible other people are, without looking in the mirror. As others have said, the instant gratification society ain't helping. We're 'connected' to more people online etc but it seems this leaves less room for GENUINE connection.
Location: The western periphery of Terra Australis
24,682 posts, read 55,041,693 times
Reputation: 11862
Quote:
Originally Posted by wall st kid
I was in a traffic left turn lane, but there was a car in front of me in the middle turning into a mall parking lot (a friendly mall no less!) and i was the 2nd car, i wasnt out in the middle waiting to turn, so, when the light turned orange, i just waited. If i had went, i would have kinda went thru the red light even though people do this all the time. So, the light eventually turns green and i go and make my left, the guy behind me is raging and i'm not sure why. Even if i had went thru half the red light, he still would have had to wait, it wasnt like he was going to be able to get thru it if i had to go thru the red myself to get thru it.
He pulls up alongside me and starts F bombing me and calling me all sorts of names and motioning me to pull over because he was going to get out of the car and 'teach me a lesson'.
Where does this anger come from? Someone has to get so riled up because i didnt go thru a red light so HE could go thru the red light? Was he in THAT much of a hurry to get into a MALL?
WTF is wrong with people? You see this behavior a LOT these days, people just have no patience, if you are out in society on a regular basis, you see a lot of examples of this stuff, this nation needs to calm down.
Oh I know, like an excuse to blow some steam off at someone. So much hostility beneath the veneer of civility. I guess it shows that they're really nasty, brutish people, or become that way...their impatience might one day get them into a nasty accident. Not too much sympathy from me if that happens.
I guess I am one of the people getting more and more irritated daily. Most of my irritation involves the workplace and the commute after that I'm have zero issues and am actually a happy person.
Lack of common sense is usually the biggest culprit for me, closely followed by arrogance.
Well, yeah. Styles change, and malevolence is where it's at, baby.
Violent video games
Pretentious TV and Movies
The Harley clowns
Giant Pickup Trucks as personal transportation
Rap Culture
Political Activists
...and plenty more
And there's such a craze of concern with "bullying"?
Forget civilization. It's obsolete, and like all obsolete things the people who care about it will die off sooner or later.
I don't mean to pick on younger generations, but people born into the computer age rarely know to even question this modern self-involved, rushed culture. For them 20 extra minutes is time meant to be killed looking into the i-phone.
With these devices, there is no necessary free time anymore, so even little delays irritate us. Imagine punishing a kid by taking away their e-devices for a couple days... they will be irritated like an addict going cold turkey. I certainly don't think this is good for society.
Modern conveniences can really soften people up (in the mind, body and soul).
It seems like people are disinterested in other people and the notion of the day is to be irritated by those around for minor issues.
I've seen people get irritated because the person in front of them in the elevator wasn't moving fast enough to get off. WOW....a wow 1.5 seconds is going to cause you to be late. Also, people are very brash with one another in their dealings. Condescending remarks, always looking to ape the next persons point of view.
It seems society has lost the ability to be cordial. Do you think a lot of it has to do with the "instant" society we live in? Instant messages, instant email, texting, instant downloading of books. I will not "blame" the technology for human errors, after all we supposed to be smarter than the technology.
But based on my observation( I'm a people watcher) people are becoming less patient and it seems it's all about reacting to people in a harsh tone. I have neighbors that live in the same 4 UNIT apartment building and I can tell they are going out of their way to AVOID eye contact or saying anything. I can remember when I was a kid, If didn't say hi to my neighbors as I walked pass their homes, I got "in trouble" when I got home. Not that I am looking for someone to say hi, but some things are very obvious.
People are into their own world and as a result haven't developed social skills which causes them to be irritated. This irritation comes from unrealistic expectations.
Give your thoughts.
We live in a generally rude society. Wasn't like that years ago. People don't say thanks and please too much anymore. People don't extend simple kindnesses too much. It's really a part of our times. Maybe the economy, technology, whatever. I don't know. When you read about different cities, people almost everywhere seem to say the same thing!
I was in a traffic left turn lane, but there was a car in front of me in the middle turning into a mall parking lot (a friendly mall no less!) and i was the 2nd car, i wasnt out in the middle waiting to turn, so, when the light turned orange, i just waited. If i had went, i would have kinda went thru the red light even though people do this all the time. So, the light eventually turns green and i go and make my left, the guy behind me is raging and i'm not sure why. Even if i had went thru half the red light, he still would have had to wait, it wasnt like he was going to be able to get thru it if i had to go thru the red myself to get thru it.
He pulls up alongside me and starts F bombing me and calling me all sorts of names and motioning me to pull over because he was going to get out of the car and 'teach me a lesson'.
Where does this anger come from? Someone has to get so riled up because i didnt go thru a red light so HE could go thru the red light? Was he in THAT much of a hurry to get into a MALL?
WTF is wrong with people? You see this behavior a LOT these days, people just have no patience, if you are out in society on a regular basis, you see a lot of examples of this stuff, this nation needs to calm down.
That was horrible..However, you were the bigger person. Let him act like a spoiled brat. Hopefully, he won't confront the wrong person. People like him are big and bad behind the wheel, but cowards when they are faced with someone who will not deal with their garbage.
Look..You, I and everyone has and will continue to have a bad day here and there. We are all human. There are days that seen no matter how hard we try, the coffee won't stay in the cup, traffic seems to deliberately crawl to make you late for work, and other minor things that happen. There are days I would rather stay home and not deal with people. However, i'm not going to make someone else a victim of my anger for the fact things aren't going my way that particular day.
Unfortunately, some folks walk around with a permanent chip on their shoulders, always uptight or looking for a confrontation. A pretty sad way to live.
Last edited by Gil3; 10-09-2012 at 02:18 PM..
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