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10/18/2005

 

Are Parents to Blame for Increasing Rudeness?

The Associated Press-Ipsos poll on public attitudes about rudeness informs us that 69% of people think parents deserve a great deal of blame for the increase in rudeness in our society. Here's the link to a USA Today article about the poll:

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2005-10-14-rudeness-poll-method_x.htm?POE=click-refer


What do you think?

Here's one reader's response:
Marlon said...
Where's all this increased rudeness coming from? It comes from a lot of factors. Religion (lack of it, actually): Most religions teach respect, empathy and compassion. When that's taken out of the schools and out of the context of the fabric of society, then out goes politeness. Ethics just doesn't cut it anymore, because ethics is driven by the bottom line. Even Christians have become rude! I've written about that in my blog (Marlon's Brain-Blog)if you're interested.
Wednesday, October 19, 2005 8:22:06 PM

Comments:
Rudeness is in the eye of the beholder. I recently had the misfortune of getting stuck in traffic in front of one of the largest high schools in PA as they were dismissing class for the day. I was appalled at the rudeness of the students as they carelessly and arrogantly crossed the streets with no regard to their safety or the cars and drivers. As I was fuming, I realized that just a couple of days earlier I was in the exact same situation at Penn State University after a football game. The game was over and the crowd was leaving the stadium. I was laughing at the students as they carelessly and arrogantly crossed the streets with no regard to the cars and drivers. I thought the exact same behavior was all in good fun. I was rude to think those high school kids were being rude.
 
I have found that rudeness isn't just a "Christian" thing nor is it a black thing nor is it a white thing.

When people become rude, it can happen to anyone. It can even be that the person is having a bad day. It can be all sorts of reasons. It can be an interpretation. It can be a cultural thing... if you were to go to a country where it is rude as well as against the law to spit, they will interpret what you did as rude and arrest you for it.

Rudeness is sometimes just up to the person who has the perception or it is legit. And the thing that I try to remember is to be a model for other people.

But sometimes I am not. In this era as well as all others, there are always things that can get you down or hurt you. Just do the best that you can do.
 
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