What has happened to common courtesy? I intended to post this due to what seems to have happend to English culture, but clearly it needs to be addressed for the purposes of this website.

What is the matter with being polite? Is it uncool? Is it outmoded? Should we all tell each other to just bugger off and die?

No, I think not. But why, when people are impolite do they expect people to be polite to them? Do they have no understanding of the relationship between cause and effect?

Sorry, ranting a bit. I lost control when I typed the title and have only just woken up again.

(I would have probably just deleted the last person's post who didn't express any new sentiments and simply revived a 2 year old thread that wasn't located in the right forum...)


My sister lacks common courtesy. Running out of shampoo, stealing mine, and then not returning it...leaving Meagan to be without shampoo when she gets in the shower. Eating out of an ice cream carton. Stealing things out of my room. (Although this has been helped by the fact that I sought my mom's permission to steal whatever I would like out of Sarah's room whenever she takes stuff from me...and I don't have to give mine back upon request. ) The list can go on and on...

I think the problem is that parents no longer expect their children to be respectful or courteous.

Our society is just messed up.

This thread has been moved here from the Spirituality board, for its philosophical aspect (Well, where would you have put it?). Happy posting!

... I agree

quote:

Originally posted by letzBloud:
too true euterpe, too true.*BTW: love the icon.

Lol, thank you.

too true euterpe, too true.*BTW: love the icon.

quote:

Originally posted by letzBloud:
ive been raised to be chivalrious, & not just to women but to men too. i stand up for people & i help out. thats just what i do.

Exactly. So was I. Unfortunately, common courtesy isn't common. I actually had this woman look perplexed at me when she and I reached the door and I opened it up for her. Because I'm a teenager (and a girl, I suppose) she wasn't expecting it.

It's just how I was raised. To be courteous when I can, and respect people. Which, I guess, is where most problems with the lack of courtesy stems from. People don't teach their children this anymore.

ive been raised to be chivalrious, & not just to women but to men too. i stand up for people & i help out. thats just what i do.

No, I can't say I have either. Usually I end up holding the door for random guys, but I think its sweet sometimes when they hold the door for girls. It really doesn't matter. Its just a dumb door.

I don't know about you, but I've never had someone say "Dammit! Just go in the door already!" when I hold a door open for strangers. To tell the truth, I'm always half-expecting it.

whoever started this thread is a genius!

I just don't like how some women who believe they are truly feminists these days act aggressive upon the idea of a man opening the door for her. I'm not against feminism, but is that what feminism is all about?

They bark out that chivalry is dead and that women are capable enough to do it themselves.

But this is just an example on how people in today's society respond to "common courtesy".

it's not that we are becoming depraved, you filthy harpies, it's that the culture is (Darwin forbid) not static, and is constantly changing. As time goes on, manners, linguistics, and clothing patterns, and other aspects of our society change. We are trashing older patterns of behaviour for newer and much more highly complex patterns of behaviour that have been evolving due to higher education, affluence, and new social situations.

Some people can be downright nasty, but cannot comprehend that there have been nasty people in all time periods, and now is not a recent phenomenon of hatred and brutishness.

quote:

Originally posted by bella123:

quote:

KIDS TODAY! ::Shakes fist.::

If that wasn't the most gross overgeneralization, i don't know what is. It isn't just kids--it's people in general. Don't automatically point figures at the younger crowd.

Whoa, hey now. Take a breather, okay? Joke. It was a joke. Did you not see the humorously placed smiley with the sunglasses? Sheesh.

You YNers. Always starting fights.

quote:

KIDS TODAY! ::Shakes fist.::

If that wasn't the most gross overgeneralization, i don't know what is. It isn't just kids--it's people in general. Don't automatically point figures at the younger crowd.

I completely agree. Like it would take a great amount of effort to open a door for someone, or offer to lend a hand. To say 'I'm sorry' or 'excuse me.' KIDS TODAY! ::Shakes fist.::

Oh, yes!I agree with you Brehon. Especially in sale shopping centers. You say excuse me, or pardon me, and they just get your way more. Oh, or those people who stretch out all across the aisle, blocking everyone else, then stop. Sorry, about the rant. I just got back from some outlet malls. Ah well, we will go to some other ones next summer.

I agree. My rule is: Always go the extra mile to be nice. I'm not saying I'm miss goody-goody all the time, but even just a friendly smile as you walk past a stranger can do someone a lot of good. You know that in today's world, children can be brutal. Kids will leave other kids out because of how they look, or if they aren't athletic or if they don't act a certain way. In fact they bully them and maul them until they can feel like everyone hates them. I remember in first grade I wore thick glasses, and during recess an older student came up to me and made fun of me. She called me the classic "four -eyes" and some other things. I was all alone, and when she left I broke down in tears. I started to make sobbing sounds and I cryed and cryed, but no one else was around to comfort me. That's the only time I've been bullied. My point is that no matter how different someone is from you, always make sure you help get rid of the cruelty of people being rude. You know the funny thing about this story about me? In middle school I got contacts, and all of a sudden, I looked different to people. People other than my friends. And you know, it shouldn't be like that. Thanks!

I agree with you, Brehon. One of my biggest pet peeves is rudeness...I am only rude if someone is rude to me and I try to control it even then simply because I despise it.

I don't accept rudeness from others. I call them out on it and ask them to restate what they said in a better way.

Yes, it is a problem on this site (as some may know from a certain thread in this forum) and I do not like debating subjects with those who insist on being rude to me.

It is incredibly sad. And I love it how rude people expect you to apologize as if you are the one responsible for their impoliteness. *shakes head*