This article from USA Today concerns me. I’ve seen examples of this behavior on other college campuses, in office lunch rooms and most recently at a bar and on a plane.
I’m not saying we need to revert back to men holding doors open for women or a return of the Knight’s Code, but instead going back to generally being polite to each other.
You won’t offend my sensibilities by launching into an expletive laden rant (within reason), but then again I worked in a newsroom. You will, however, offend me when you jump in front of me in line or pull a chair from the table I’m sitting at without asking.
As for where this attitude stemmed from, George Mason University lecturer Leslie Morton, quoted the USA Today article nails it. “People don’t take time to think about consequences. Who am I hurting? Will this be embarrassing?”
The person you are hurting is likely not you and if you are acting that way, you likely won’t be embarrassed, but someone else might. It isn’t about you.