Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Whatever Happened to Gentility and Goodness?

I'm certain that I've talked about this issue before, but I just need to get something off my mind. Okay, I get it. I'm a throw back to days long gone. I actually believe that people should be honest, good, and kind to each other and I'm often shocked and saddened when people aren't. 

I'll give you a recent example that kills my soul. I was getting ready to teach a class the other day, when a student (not one of mine) decides to disrupt my class in order to say "hello" to his friend. When I explained to this student that he needed to stop interrupting my class and leave, he called me a "f***-ing bitch"!!  I naturally had to bring this matter up to the Vice Principal and the student ended up with in-house detention for 2 days. Now, I didn't know this student but it just boggles the mind that he thought that was an acceptable response.

This kind of behavior has become the norm and it makes me sad for the future of the world. I would like to go back anywhere from 60 to 200 years when people were good, honest, kind, nice, and genteel - or at least they seemed to be. I'm tired fighting and clawing my way through this world. What do I want? I want Sir Walter Raleigh. I want Gandhi. I want Joe DiMaggio. I want Gene Kelly - singing in the rain. I'll even take Santa Claus right now! I want people to stop being mean to each other. I want people to be courteous and respectfully honest with each other.

Yeah, okay, I know - I also want the sun, the moon, and the stars. I'm not going to get any of these things, because the world doesn't seem to care about niceties anymore. So I will just go along and hope for the best in people, but fully expect the worse! Okay, I've had my say.  

Here's what I would like: for everyone to take 2 minutes out of your hectic day to say something really nice to another person - even if it's a complete stranger!

4 comments:

Maureen said...

Since I've been working for the town i live in for 8 years, my new mantra is "I hate people". There is such a lack of personal responsibility & there is always someone else to blame.

Sandi said...

Isn't that the truth?? So exhausting!

Maureen said...

Absolutely! i don't like talking on the phone anymore since i usually listen to complaints for a good chunk of my day

Tom said...

I feel your pain. People are animals. What has become acceptable behaviors is abysmal. I try daily to smile at strangers and wish them a good morning or a good day. Somestimes I'm rewarded with a similar response and not a sneer or a strange look. But rudeness and bad attitudes seem to abound in today's society.