Where have all the manners gone?

[jeneisen]

Has anyone noticed that as the years go by, people are using less and less manners? One thing I noticed is since the invention of cell phones, people are so rude when it comes to using them. They talk on them in stores and restaurants and while driving cutting you off. I just don't understand why people do that.

I have also noticed the service industry has really gone down hill. It seems like no one is nice in stores anymore. Any idea what happened?

 

[Sharon]

Phone peeves

How about teenagers who call the house at all hours of the night. I used to answer the phone with, "Somebody had better have died because you're going to if you call here again." The good ones "get" it but some continue, so I pick up the reciever and slam it down, in the morning their phone # is blocked forever.

Then...there are some who truly were never taught phone manners. They never say hello or goodbye when they hang up --sorry they get blocked too. All's not hopeless though as I've taught a few of them phone manners myself. If they use them, they are able to get thru, if they don't, they are blocked.

 

[bknarw]

Hmm....

Well, it's kinda high fat, so I have been using less lately.
However, I don't think it's a cultural trend or anything.
I still prefer Miracle Whip, though I still keep a jar of manners in my fridge for those who don't like Miracle Whip.

 

[bknarw]

Seriously...

What did it for me was living in the DEEP south.

After growing up in Pittsburgh, it took a move to Savannah to teach me to say "yessir", or "yes ma'am".
Or..."I 'preciate it"...etc.

My parents taught me good manners, but not like they do down there. You either learn or deal with the conseqences (ain't that right, Mig?)

 

[Lew]

Nasty store people

It's no secret why clerks are nasty. If you had to put up with some of the attitude of that customer who had just departed, you might have an nasty attitude, too. Me, I try to treat a clerk in the stores as if they were friends or family. I know that the grumpy look on their face is not because of me but, that they expect me to be another jerk like the one who just left.

Sometimes it because of the manager who got up on the wrong side of the bed and brought it to work. That manager passes the attitude on to the workers who came in with a simle on their face till they had their first encounter with "THE MANAGER".

Treat everyone like you want to be treated. Even it the first encounter doesn't start out well. It may if one of you trys.

Store employees are not slaves to be treated like such. Treat then nice and they will respond in kind. This is not to imply that you would ever do that but, most people have. I have, in my younger days. Now I try too see them as possible future friends.

 

[bknarw]

Re: Nasty store people

Originally posted by Lew
It's no secret why clerks are nasty. If you had to put up with some of the attitude of that customer who had just departed, you might have an nasty attitude, too. Me, I try to treat a clerk in the stores as if they were friends or family. I know that the grumpy look on their face is not because of me but, that they expect me to be another jerk like the one who just left.

Sometimes it because of the manager who got up on the wrong side of the bed and brought it to work.

Unfortunately, too many managers got up on the wrong side of the WOMB!

 

[Kizzy]

Same with some bosses!!

 

[Hessian]

I'm sorry, I thought our Public schools were supposed to teach morals and manners...I'll have to find that section in the MSPAP tests...hmmm.

 

[Oz]

I don't know anyone who wants Public Schools teaching morals. God forbid! Parents should teach their children the moral values that they believe in. Parents have already given the teachers enough other "parental responsibilities" to worry about.

 

[Heretic]

Anyone notice that people that work in fast food places dont even look at you, let alone say thank you? I got some chicken McNuggets at McDonalds the other day and instead of asking me what sauce I wanted they just threw two of each kind in the bag, thats 8 containers of sauce for 6 McNuggets. I guess I should just be happy I got sauce, and not the special kind.

 

[Heretic]

About schools teaching manners and morals. Manners I would definatly say yes, but morals thats a more touch subject.

I think they should teach things like "If you want the toy little Billy is playing with you dont punch him in the face and take it, thats wrong." I think they should also not specifically teach but enforce things like dont kill, beat up, steal etc. but I dont think they should teach anything specific to one particular religion. Common sense and common courtsey go a long way. Unfortunately it seems that anything having to do with the public education system lacks common sense.

 

[Lew]

Mcdonalds is a tough one to crack. I always say "Hi, how are you today!" Just to break the ice. Mcdonalds is the one place I rarely get a smile. I finaly gave up and now I go to one of the other FFS's.

Parents should be the one to teach manners to their children. But what if the parents never were taught maners? Hummmm.

Lew

 

[Cracka]

I have noticed for a long time around here how unfriendly people are at restaurants and stores.I went to many different places at Solomons one day (two places were Captains Table and The Pier),the service was very poor.This weekend I was in Raleigh and Fayetteville North Carolina and it was just the opposite.I don't think the "bad day"excuse holds up around here or anywhere,shouldn't be a bad day that many times.

 

[migtig]

Re: Seriously...

Originally posted by bknarw
What did it for me was living in the DEEP south.

After growing up in Pittsburgh, it took a move to Savannah to teach me to say "yessir", or "yes ma'am".
Or..."I 'preciate it"...etc.

My parents taught me good manners, but not like they do down there. You either learn or deal with the conseqences (ain't that right, Mig?)

Yep, cause otherwise they'll slide the knife in your back with a smile and you'll thank them for it.
Another biggie in the South that doesn't happen as frequently here, is if a child is communicating with an adult they say "Miss Becky" or "Mr Joe", not just Becky or Joe as if that adult is the child's equal and not deserving of respect.
Of course then again, it is a whole other world in the South, guys hold open doors as manners and women don't see it as an offense. You greet old people, even if you don't know them. Smile at children and say "what a pretty thing" without worring that the mom thinks you are some kind of weirdo trying to snatch their kid. *sigh*
Oh well.... I said it before on another thread, I think manners are a regional thing. It is what is expected and taught in a specific area. The South is the "Bible Belt", and believe me even after they took religion out of school I still had teachers reading excerpts from the Bible during "quiet time". It also meant behave as a child or you were gonna get whopped up one side with the Bible and down the other with a Belt. Up here kids call the cops on their parents if they get punished so....how can you really instill manners, much less fear and respect?

 

[bknarw]

Re: Re: Seriously...

Originally posted by migtig


Yep, cause otherwise they'll slide the knife in your back with a smile and you'll thank them for it.
Another biggie in the South that doesn't happen as frequently here, is if a child is communicating with an adult they say "Miss Becky" or "Mr Joe", not just Becky or Joe as if that adult is the child's equal and not deserving of respect.
Of course then again, it is a whole other world in the South, guys hold open doors as manners and women don't see it as an offense. You greet old people, even if you don't know them. Smile at children and say "what a pretty thing" without worring that the mom thinks you are some kind of weirdo trying to snatch their kid. *sigh*
Oh well.... I said it before on another thread, I think manners are a regional thing. It is what is expected and taught in a specific area. The South is the "Bible Belt", and believe me even after they took religion out of school I still had teachers reading excerpts from the Bible during "quiet time". It also meant behave as a child or you were gonna get whopped up one side with the Bible and down the other with a Belt. Up here kids call the cops on their parents if they get punished so....how can you really instill manners, much less fear and respect?

I couldn't have said it better myself!
Oh, well, actually...I didn't.

 

[*sunkist girl*]

Re: Nasty store people

Originally posted by Lew
It's no secret why clerks are nasty. If you had to put up with some of the attitude of that customer who had just departed, you might have an nasty attitude, too. Me, I try to treat a clerk in the stores as if they were friends or family. I know that the grumpy look on their face is not because of me but, that they expect me to be another jerk like the one who just left.

Sometimes it because of the manager who got up on the wrong side of the bed and brought it to work. That manager passes the attitude on to the workers who came in with a simle on their face till they had their first encounter with "THE MANAGER".

Treat everyone like you want to be treated. Even it the first encounter doesn't start out well. It may if one of you trys.

Store employees are not slaves to be treated like such. Treat then nice and they will respond in kind. This is not to imply that you would ever do that but, most people have. I have, in my younger days. Now I try too see them as possible future friends.

I could not agree with you more on that one

 

[*sunkist girl*]

Originally posted by Nodnarb
I don't know anyone who wants Public Schools teaching morals. God forbid! Parents should teach their children the moral values that they believe in. Parents have already given the teachers enough other "parental responsibilities" to worry about.

Another direst hit.

 

[Flo]

I believe it may be all in how you were brought up. Manners start at an early age. I was born, and have lived in Southern Maryland most of my life. Of course I was brought up in a different time...the 50's and 60's, when you could leave your door unlocked, play in your yard until way past dark, accept compliments from strangers, etc.. My parents, teachers, etc. taught and received respect. As a teen of the 60's, I remember debating with my father one day the election of Johnson and Goldwater, and learned very quickly that was not the thing to do at Age 13. Talking back or calling your parents or another adult by their first name was also not tolerated, and if you even raised your voice to an adult, there were consequences.

 

[Lew]

Flo, right on! I was born and raised in Kentucky and learned at a very young age to mind my elders. My father taught me good work ethics, while my mother passed out the punishment with the use of a willow switch. Depending on the crime, I might hear "Wait till your father gets home". If he was unhappy after working all day, I could count on paying the price.
Sure made a bigger impression than a "Time Out".

Parents teach manners and act as roll models...

Great Parents. Hall of Fame.


Lew

 

[*sunkist girl*]

I will say this, back in the day when parents were allowed to raise their children without the fear of Social services coming in and taking you to jail for child abuse things were different. Children respected the elders and themselves. I know there were cases of child abuse but I think the system they devised to protect the children blew up in their faces.