Sunday, July 23, 2006
Are you a jerk?
I have been wondering over the last few days about how people respond and interact with each other, both on-line and in real life. Several people have raised the issue of civility on this website in the advice line section and many responses seem to indicate alot of people believe the world in general is becoming an increasing uncivil place. I have to agree, but are you part of the problem or part of the solution? I will admit to being both, depending on the day of the week, my mood etc.
When was the last time you let cars out of side streets/parking lots pull out when stuck in traffic ? How often have you forced yourself in traffic at the risk of a traffic accident? Allow a merge on the highway vs. force a merge?
Ever been in the self check line at a store and had the person in front of you not understand how it works? Did you wait and stare impatiently, maybe even make comments about them? Or did you offer to help?
I am old enough to have be "brought up right" but todays faster pace of life makes it easier to be a jerk than to be nice. If you are nice to a stranger, that person is likely to be suspicious of your motives, or so we have come to think. I know in my own life I am making the effort to be nice, to allow cars to merge, to help people with doors, self checks and in any other way I can. If we all did that just once in a while it can make a difference.
And as far as on-line goes - I was taught if you can't say something nice, then don't say anything.
When was the last time you let cars out of side streets/parking lots pull out when stuck in traffic ? How often have you forced yourself in traffic at the risk of a traffic accident? Allow a merge on the highway vs. force a merge?
Ever been in the self check line at a store and had the person in front of you not understand how it works? Did you wait and stare impatiently, maybe even make comments about them? Or did you offer to help?
I am old enough to have be "brought up right" but todays faster pace of life makes it easier to be a jerk than to be nice. If you are nice to a stranger, that person is likely to be suspicious of your motives, or so we have come to think. I know in my own life I am making the effort to be nice, to allow cars to merge, to help people with doors, self checks and in any other way I can. If we all did that just once in a while it can make a difference.
And as far as on-line goes - I was taught if you can't say something nice, then don't say anything.
// posted by Cigar smoking, beer drinking lawyer @ 1:00 PM 
