The Definite Lack of Courtesy In Modern Times
I've noticed recently every time I am in a public place, there has definitely been an increase in the lack of courtesy. This applies to anything from holding a door open, to trying to merge or cross over into a traffic lane. I wonder if it's because so many people are in a hurry, or just completely oblivious to what they and others around them are doing. Perhaps ... it's a bit of both.
I just drove our RV up from Florida to Virginia the last couple of days, and as always, something I learned from my Dad as a child ... when I am being passed by a tractor trailer and they indicate that they want to pull back into the right lane, I blink my bright-lights twice to let them know they're clear so they can move over. In the old days, every time I would do this, the truckers would blink their tail-lights as a "thank you" ... you know, out of courtesy or the heads up. This time I actually kept track and less than 10% of the truckers actually indicated a thank you.
Before I left on the trip, I stopped to get gas, clean the windshield, and do an overall check of the RV at the service station by my house. While there, a guy pulled up with a Nissan sports car convertible with the music so loud it sounded like I was at a concert. The bass rumble was vibrating the metal on the gas pumps it was so loud and deep. He left the music full blast, while he went inside the convenient store. Now, I have a a bunch of electronic cardiac implants and this sort of thing sends then into a frenzy. All the sensors go off, my heart rate gets increased, and it can get very uncomfortable and scary at times.
I followed the guy inside and nicely explained to him my medical condition and asked if he could lower the music when he went back outside so I could finish up and leave. He didn't say a word, and instead gave me the look of death. Then he walked out of the store without any recognition of my request. The windows in the store were vibrating ... it was that loud and that low o a frequency on the bass and drums. I watched from inside, and he did turn of the music when he got outside. When I went back out, I thanked him for understanding. Another dirty look and not a word. Seriously? Did he really think he was that much of a bad-ass? I certainly was not impressed with his bone crushing loud display of music (and bad music at that), and neither was anyone else at the pumps. But he was so comfortably rude.
Along the road, truck stops, gas stations, convenience stores, all seemed to be surreal. The people who work there, and the customers seemed to just grunt their demands and desires. There was very little exchange of any conversation. In fact, it seemed as though it was a world of Zombies. And smiles ... I got one from a Bojangles breakfast crew member in Walterboro, SC. At other stops, if I happened to ask for something like a pack of BBQ sauce, or a glass of ice ... it seems like such a huge burden. It was as if I had asked then to help me repack the RV. Are people really THAT sad and living in such despair? What has been the central reason or such a change over the years?
I don't even want to start with the left lane huggers talking on their cell-phones and no matter what kind of back up there is behind them ... there will be no moving over. None. The bottom line is that I believe large groups of people have lost their zest for life. They see nothing in their future. Their ambitions and aspirations have been crushed by some outside or inside force. So many people are just going through the motion of being. I pray something of such magnitude (of a peaceful nature) can occur soon that it will re-inspire people. Something that will help people to love themselves again, and as a benefit ... love others as well. Something that will give them a reason to live ... a reason to smile, and a reason to become what they have the ability to achieve, if they would just believe it.
Just a thought ...
~Justin Taylor, ORDM., OCP., DM.
