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Why do so many people live angry these days? It's like they are all so tightly wound, in a hurry, selfish, get out of my way, no regard for the lives of other people. They drive angry. They speak angry. They look angry. They react to common situations with such hostility, they can barely muster civility to other human beings. Even watching the news has become stressful with the talking over each other, arguing to the point of hostility, cutting remarks and petty condescension.
So ... has our society always been like this? Cause it seems to be escalating all the time, especially the last 5 years.
A few examples:
Honking the horn immediately (I mean the very millisecond) when traffic light turns green.
Not holding doors for other people, letting it slam on them.
Cutting cars off in traffic when it is incredibly dangerous and life threatening to do so.
Driving 20 miles over the speed limit, weaving in and out of traffic, again with no regard for the lives they are putting at risk.
Texting while driving, weaving into other lanes, no consideration for lives.
Customers getting outraged / creating a scene / violence over fast food.
Shooting people as a means to get a point across.
People being ugly /nasty / baiting on discussion boards ... not joining a discussion in order to be helpful, but to be snarky, because they "feel like it" or enjoy creating drama.
Antagonists, pot stirrers who like to get under people's skin ... because they are angry and miserable.
Protesters and others like them who are perpetually outraged (and often violent) over one issue after another
People who yell ALL THE TIME. On the phone. In the store. In their yard (my neighbors). Just loud people who are always shouting at others. Fighting / arguing seems to be their default mechanism. Is it a chip on their shoulder? Do they need hearing aids? Why so angry?
Pulling up in people's driveways and rudely honking incessantly, instead of going to the door like normal people.
Unable to have a normal friendly conversation with someone in a kind, relaxed manner. Everything is abrupt, frenzied / hurried, and on edge. As though people are an inconvenience.
Cussing people out when they don't get what they want, when they want it.
Last edited by SouthernProper; 10-03-2017 at 01:32 PM..
OP, I don't run into anger anywhere in day-to-day life, except occasionally on the roads. Some of your examples sound like you watch TV news too much; when was the last time you witnessed someone shooting someone to get a point across? Or a fast food customer getting violent?
I also don't understand this "he cut me off!" thing about traffic. Do people assume someone cut in front of them to send a deliberate message? That sounds crazy. What I see is that people sometimes make a last-minute decision to change lanes, or they realize they need to be way over on the right to make an exit, and failed to plan ahead for that, so they have to make a risky, sudden move. Why do other drivers read something personal into that?
I don't run into people who look angry or talk angry, except for the occasional NYC transplant, lol. People are civil, even downright pleasant. This is true when I travel to other states/cities, as well. I don't watch the news, to avoid the negativity news sources purvey.
There's been a general movement away from community, a sense of shame, and responsibility towards others. It has always been there throughout human history in one shape or another, but there's always been a significant portion of the population that's kept it intact. That segment of the population is being shouted down now.
Communities that used to be well-developed and sustained long-term have given way to transient populations who don't give a crap about the other random people they have to deal with on a daily basis.
People also downplay the effect of the cell phones. But there are numerous studies that show they change the way our brains work.
And one of the big ways is with constant instant gratification - your general patience level absolutely plummets. So does your self control.
If you watch any mainstream entertainment on TV or listen to radio programs, you will also notice that snark, negativity, and being b**chy is actually considered cool by many people. They call it "keeping it real" and a whole bunch of other nonsense.
There's been a general movement away from community, a sense of shame, and responsibility towards others. It has always been there throughout human history in one shape or another, but there's always been a significant portion of the population that's kept it intact. That segment of the population is being shouted down now.
Communities that used to be well-developed and sustained long-term have given way to transient populations who don't give a crap about the other random people they have to deal with on a daily basis.
People also downplay the effect of the cell phones. But there are numerous studies that show they change the way our brains work.
And one of the big ways is with constant instant gratification - your general patience level absolutely plummets. So does your self control.
If you watch any mainstream entertainment on TV or listen to radio programs, you will also notice that snark, negativity, and being b**chy is actually considered cool by many people. They call it "keeping it real" and a whole bunch of other nonsense.
Rep x1000 ... spot on ... I think you nailed it! Thank you.
OP, I don't run into anger anywhere in day-to-day life, except occasionally on the roads.
I'm not sure where you reside, R4T, but I see things like Southern has posted about on a near daily basis around here. People are angry, all the time. Often for stupid reasons. I was at the store a few weeks back. It was late, they were closing, I had two items in my hands and the family in front of me had a cart full. I patiently waited and when the guy was almost done having his things rung up, he finally noticed me and said "I should have let you go ahead." I just shrugged, smiled, said, "thanks for acknowledging that, but it's cool" and went about my evening. Do you know how many times I've been an outside observer in that same situation and someone that would have been in my place would make rude remarks, huff and sigh or just give the family a dirty look?
We do live in an angry society these days and I wonder if there's a way to pull ourselves back from the brink. Increasingly I don't think there is. At least not in my lifetime.
Hell, just look around the boards at all the threads where someone posts about a problem with another person and just count how many times they're told to, essentially, cut that person out of their lives even when it makes no sense to tell that person to do that. We've become so disposable in our society that it's moved to encompass personal relationships to where people tend to view them the same way as they would a carton of spoiled milk. Just throw it away.
And this is a conversation that I've legit had with other folks very, very recently, so it's not just Southern at all. Its a very real phenomenon and a very real issue.
Yes, for regional perspective, we live near New Orleans. These things are very real, they happen on a regular basis and several of them happened to us just today - in New Orleans. Snark and rudeness rule the day, with everyone looking out for #1, and to he// with everyone else. Cashiers can be downright malicious... how do they keep a job? Customer service has gone down the toilet in most places.
The guy in Las Vegas must have had so much anger inside, he just lost it. If people don't learn to cool down and practice some self control it's only going to get worse. I'm 42 years old, have never before experienced such behavior as common practice in my lifetime.
In the recent past like a few months ago I would've disagreed with the OP's position about the world we live in but now I really think they have and some others have a point. Socially it feels like we are taking steps backward instead of forward.
stan4 is certainly right about how technology has changed people especially social media. More and more people have developed this over inflated sense of self-importance. It goes beyond thinking their opinion is so important in the big scheme of the world to thinking their opinions are absolute infallible fact. Then there are those who are constantly seeking attention either by throwing pity parties to look for sympathy or trolling to stir up trouble instead of doing something more constructive with their time.
Speaking of trolling, yes immaturity is something that is prevalent nowadays amongst fully grown people.
Things like compromise, taking the high road, cooperation and tact is seen as weak.
Being petty, vindictive, savage and immature is celebrated even though none of those things will help the other person see your point of view. All it does is result in people on the opposite side of any situation dig in their heels and become more defensive.
I've also notice that people cannot tolerate any annoyances or inconveniences which the lack of patience is a part of. They want the world to be perfect, they want things to move on their schedule regardless of everyone else. Many folks out there seem to forget that there are other people who have needs to and they have the right to exist in this world.
I'm an introvert and I recognize that I have to share my space with other people who may not look like me or think like me. Some people really seem to forget this or resent it.
FWIW, I'm know it wasn't perfect in the past and I'm a younger guy compared to the general demographics of the forum but I admit that I have become disillusioned.
I'm not sure where you reside, R4T, but I see things like Southern has posted about on a near daily basis around here. People are angry, all the time. Often for stupid reasons. I was at the store a few weeks back. It was late, they were closing, I had two items in my hands and the family in front of me had a cart full. I patiently waited and when the guy was almost done having his things rung up, he finally noticed me and said "I should have let you go ahead." I just shrugged, smiled, said, "thanks for acknowledging that, but it's cool" and went about my evening. Do you know how many times I've been an outside observer in that same situation and someone that would have been in my place would make rude remarks, huff and sigh or just give the family a dirty look?
We do live in an angry society these days and I wonder if there's a way to pull ourselves back from the brink. Increasingly I don't think there is. At least not in my lifetime.
Hell, just look around the boards at all the threads where someone posts about a problem with another person and just count how many times they're told to, essentially, cut that person out of their lives even when it makes no sense to tell that person to do that. We've become so disposable in our society that it's moved to encompass personal relationships to where people tend to view them the same way as they would a carton of spoiled milk. Just throw it away.
And this is a conversation that I've legit had with other folks very, very recently, so it's not just Southern at all. Its a very real phenomenon and a very real issue.
That's sad. The OP lives near New Orleans. Where do you live? As I mentioned in my earlier post, I don't run into this when I travel, either. I spend time regularly in coastal CA in a university town. I see mostly smiles, there, a lot of them from the students and other young adults in town, but also from the nice neighbors all round my neighborhood there. The Seattle area and other part of Puget Sound that I visit are mellow, too. I don't see angry people. People in stores occasionally offer to let me cut in line, if I have only a couple of items. I do the same for others, if I notice they're in a hurry. People are courteous. I'm sorry you and the OP have all that anger to deal with. It would be very disconcerting.
In the recent past like a few months ago I would've disagreed with the OP's position about the world we live in but now I really think they have and some others have a point. Socially it feels like we are taking steps backward instead of forward.
stan4 is certainly right about how technology has changed people especially social media. More and more people have developed this over inflated sense of self-importance. It goes beyond thinking their opinion is so important in the big scheme of the world to thinking their opinions are absolute infallible fact. Then there are those who are constantly seeking attention either by throwing pity parties to look for sympathy or trolling to stir up trouble instead of doing something more constructive with their time.
Speaking of trolling, yes immaturity is something that is prevalent nowadays amongst fully grown people.
Things like compromise, taking the high road, cooperation and tact is seen as weak.
Being petty, vindictive, savage and immature is celebrated even though none of those things will help the other person see your point of view. All it does is result in people on the opposite side of any situation dig in their heels and become more defensive.
I've also notice that people cannot tolerate any annoyances or inconveniences which the lack of patience is a part of. They want the world to be perfect, they want things to move on their schedule regardless of everyone else. Many folks out there seem to forget that there are other people who have needs to and they have the right to exist in this world.
I'm an introvert and I recognize that I have to share my space with other people who may not look like me or think like me. Some people really seem to forget this or resent it.
FWIW, I'm know it wasn't perfect in the past and I'm a younger guy compared to the general demographics of the forum but I admit that I have become disillusioned.
I haven't noticed it any more than usual. I use social media sparingly though. There has always been aggressive drivers. I still let people with few items cut in front of me and I still have people offer to let me cut in line if I have few items.
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