AIBU to think we now live in a society where nobody cares about other people’s experiences in social spaces?

My in-laws do this, they are 68 and 70 - I have no idea why. I hate videos on social media, most of it is absolute dross, and I’m 41.

It’s rarely young people in my experience.

People need to start speaking up. Who cares if they tell you to fuck off? They’re the ones being unsociable. Who cares if they call you a Karen ? If manners means I’m a Karen then I can live with that. In a shared public space we should aim to disturb no one if at all possible. I don’t have a problem speaking up for what I believe in. I love telling badly behaved children off in public too. In front of their parents if at all possible. It’s incredibly satisfying.

The young?

I have noticed a trend of older people watching social media on their phones without headphones, I thought they were meant to know better!

If people use their phones in the cinema I go to the desk and ask for them to be removed or for them to give me my money back as I’m not enjoying the film. Works every time. Well the two times I’ve done it recently.

It’s because no one speaks up . They inwardly seethe but stay quiet. Screw that. I was in A and E last week with a family member. I asked two separate people to turn their phones off as people were sick and didn’t want to listen to their ticktok shite. The drunk man gave off to me but turned it off. The couple sitting across from me turned theirs off too. Do it in front of other people, embarrass them and make them think twice about those around them. I really despair for society but I’ll be damned if I’m going to sit silently and let them carry on being arseholes. Can you tell this really winds me up?

The only increase I’ve noticed is in the sheer number of people who whine about this, exaggerating in a way that can only come from a confirmation bias / Baader-Meinhof phenomenon.

The world hasn’t changed, you have.

I was just thinking about this the other day. I was on a 2 hour train journey. A mother sitting with a child had their IPad on to amuse said child, ipad blaring out loud in another language, not that that made a difference.

Its actually the 3rd time its happened to me, not even an isolated occassion. My sister said someone was cutting their nails on a train she was on once! 🤢

I thought the no headphone socket might be the issue too, but I was on a flight recently where the man in front of me was watching a film on his iPad with no headphones. Another passenger offered him headphones and he said no. The flight attendant then asked him to turn it off, or at least reduce the volume, but he still refused.

It’s not just young people. My teens were eye rolling at a 70 something glued to loud reels on a train. Clueless.

Wtf, brushing their teeth on public transport?

Just ugh. 🤢

People seem very rough and uncouth now. We don't go into public spaces anymore. Everywhere is too crowded and the people are so loud. I'm grateful I have a car and don't have to go onto a bus.

Today I had to go to a pharmacy located in the huge local Asda. Unfortunately I arrived just as the pharmacist was about to go on break so I had to wait 30 minutes til she returned. However she was kind enough to get me a chair to sit on outside while i waited. The roller shutter was only half closed although there was a clear notice advising customers that the staff were on break. A stream of people arrived, stared at the notice, then looked about helplessly as though the end of the world had arrived. Some attempted to duck under the barrier and go inside. I told each one that staff were on break and would return at 1pm. They were bemused. However most formed an orderly queue when the staff returned.

I wonder what people like this would do in a real emergency. It does not inspire me with confidence.

We went to the beach a while ago and some teens turned up, not with a ghetto blaster but a full size speaker. Turned it on full volume and nearly all of them then got into the sea. Only then one person left who then seemed to actually be embarrassed as she’d been left and everyone was looking, and we were also taking the piss out of their music she turned it down. Of course it went back up later when the others came back.

Then we were on a train and two different girls at different times were having a conversion with the loud speaker on. Which baffled me as you could hold it to your ear and why would you want anyone to hear your convo? So I just looked directly at them a few times. Then slowly they both went to putting it to their ear like oh god this person can hear me. Like wtf? How can you not realise.

There weren't 5 or 10 ghetto blasters in every carriage though?

I think it’s a combination of factors.

Children aren’t being raised to be patient, thoughtful or considerate.

Everyone else does it.

Every piece of content on a phone is a noisy video or game, where once, it was text.

I’d say it all started about ten years ago.

Common decency is dead and you’re considered a snob if you have manners and demonstrate decorum. You’re not ‘keeping it real.’

Bless.

Hmm do you remember when punks used to go around with ghetto blasters on their shoulders?

Society has always had inconsiderate people. It just evolves into different forms.

You’re absolutely right OP. I agree wholeheartedly.

I was surprised when you said only a few years ago it wasn't like this because it has been for many more years. This has been life now for so long on public transport, walking down the street, everywhere! Just yesterday a boy on a bike almost knocked me off my feet cycling fast with headphones on, didn't even acknowledge.

I commute every day and I am regularly driven demented by what I consider anti social behaviour. At least twice a week its annoying enough to get up and move to sit somewhere else (or even stand) to get away from it.

Last week I had a guy sitting next to me - he was wearing ear bud type headphones but i could hear every single word of the song. The person behind also had "leaky" headphones so I could hear just the beat of the song and a person a few rows away was playing a kids video or game without any headphones which was really repetitive and annoying.
Another day I had someone brushing their teeth next to me!
Frequently there are people taking up 2 seats with their bag on one of them.
I also think its all ages behaving unsociably

I never understand why people pay a lot of money to go to a gig, the theatre or a sporting event and then talk all the way through it. And they always sit behind me! They take no notice of what is going on the stage or pitch Just why? If you want to catch up with your mates to go the pub or restaurant. Please.

I’d agree there has been a real deterioration in people’s behaviour over the last few years. Not just using phones rudely, but vaping indoors, smoking in non smoking areas, kids who aren’t being taught the concept of a queue, nobody offering their seats to people who clearly need them more, parents sending their children into school and being shocked that the rules are being enforced etc. And when the fuck did everyone collectively decide it was ok to smoke weed wherever and whenever you like?

Nobody seems to give a shit about anyone else, just as long as they’re ok.

Mass migration is a factor