{"id":82974,"date":"2018-05-30T09:00:34","date_gmt":"2018-05-30T13:00:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/news\/?p=82974"},"modified":"2019-06-17T10:34:05","modified_gmt":"2019-06-17T14:34:05","slug":"manners-make-us-look-past-others","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/news\/manners-make-us-look-past-others\/","title":{"rendered":"Manners Make Us Look Past Ourselves and to Others"},"content":{"rendered":"
What has happened to manners?<\/p>\n
One day on my way to work, I waited at a green light while another car crossed the intersection after the light had obviously turned red for that driver. And I thought to myself: Why are you so special that the rest of us have to wait?<\/p>\n
I\u2019m sure everyone has experienced this.<\/p>\n
We\u2018ve been cut off in traffic, bumped at the end of the grocery aisle, or even had a derogatory remark sent our way, all because people often don\u2019t have manners anymore. Common courtesy seems to be out the window and people are oblivious to anyone other than themselves.<\/p>\n
I tried to put a date on when our society changed, but that date obviously is vague.<\/p>\n
We used to hold doors open for each other, smile at strangers and wave at our neighbors. In my parents\u2019 time, friends and neighbors borrowed tools or baking ingredients from each other and had block parties to catch up and socialize. Today, if I smile at a stranger I am often met with a disconcerting look, as if I have some sinister motive. And that just makes me sad.<\/p>\n
So how do we get society to regain manners? How do we begin to care about strangers as much as we care about ourselves?<\/p>\n
When I did a quick internet search, I found a lot of articles addressing the loss of manners in our society. Some said that the breakdown of family was the cause. Others pointed to technology and our need for instant gratification. Still others discussed reality TV and what has now become acceptable as cultural norms.<\/p>\n
Maybe we don\u2019t need manners and we should just get what we can for ourselves, and who cares about everyone else? I\u2019m sure we wouldn\u2019t agree that\u2019s the answer.<\/p>\n