To think that people are much ruder these days?

[Bakingberry]

Everywhere I've been over the last week I've overheard people going out of their way to be rude.

At the weekend I was in a well known department store and there had been a mix up with a customers order. The sales assistant was helping the customer and trying to tell him that the item will still be delivered on the same date. He just kept cutting her off and making argumentative statements. She was young and he was much older. I felt he was trying to belittle her when she was being polite and helping him.

In a coffee shop yesterday and someone was kicking off and shouting at the staff. You could see in there faces they didn't even understand what was wrong and she just shouted over them when they tried to say anything.

In the bank this morning and another case of an old man patronising a younger girl. Couldn't tell what was wrong but if your upset then surely you let the other person apologise and try to help you?

Were people always this rude? Or are they too happy playing the victim and using that as an excuse to let their anger out on someone?

People weren't nearly as rude as they are now. It's endemic and it appals me.

No, you are not being unreasonable, people are very rude these days. It's so unnecessary.

I hate rudeness, so unnecessary. If you can't get your point of view across in a civilised manner, then you're seriously lacking. Ironically I find old people the rudest. I was waiting to pay the zumba instructress and this old woman completely barged in and cut across me to pay her first - unbelievable and very unnecessary, the class doesn't start until everyone's paid!!! This is just one example of so many I have witnessed. I'm no spring chicken myself, but like to think that I'm fairly kind and reasonable (most of the time!!!).

I'm glad it's just not me that notices it. It just seems like some people are angry at the world. I always think it's harder, and you have to go out of your way to be rude.

People are much ruder nowadays.

I think a lot of young people are stuck so far in the online world that conventions of polite conversation completely escaped them.

I think a lot of older people grew up in a gilded generation where the world was there for their taking (i.e. cheap housing, stable jobs, some social mobility) such that they feel they should get what they want. They also came just after, or during, the war and it's rhetoric about "blitz spirit" and "Britishness" which is a thinly disguised way of saying "us British people are better than everyone".

However, I think there are wider structural problems with the labour market too wherein rude behaviour from customers is tolerated because sales assistants fear for their jobs as they are dispensable and managers (who once had the power to step in to confrontations and support their workers) are also in fear of their jobs and so don't enforce policies about treatment of staff.

It's ironic, though, that you say a customer was patronising someone who worked in the bank and then describe that employee as a "younger girl".

No people are not ruder 'these days' - you're older so you notice it more. People were always rude, it just washed over you. Part of the reason why older people gain a reputation for being crabby is because the normal workings of life get on their nerves a lot more than they do for young people. It's part of getting older and you need to reconcile yourself to it and stop imagining the world is going to pot - it isn't.

Spaghettijumper

Part of the reason why older people gain a reputation for being crabby is because the normal workings of life get on their nerves a lot more than they do for young people.

That's completely understandable but there's a world of difference between something getting on your nerves and being a rude cunt about it.

I totally agree @CautionaryTail. I'm not saying that older people are rude - there are rude people of all ages. What I'm saying is that as people get older they find it harder to cope with the world around them - including other people who are rude. It's pretty standard for people to start to say that people 'nowadays' are ruder than they were - they're not ruder, people have been rude since the dawn of time. It's just that as you get older you start to notice it more (as the OP is doing) and start believing it's some sudden change in the world. It's not a sudden change in the world, it's a change in you.

@Spaghettijumper Gotcha, sorry, I misunderstood what you meant

Yes. People are generally far less restrained by social convention than they were prior to the rise of the mobile phone and the internet. Whats acceptable in forums, on twitter, facebook and so on leaks over into personal interactions. I was on a bus last year and overheard a social worker shouting a client's bank details into the phone. Lots of over sharing too.

I have the same question as FreudianSlurp

My son commented yesterday on how rude people are now, his example was that people just put the phone down on you without saying goodbye, he could add plenty of other examples. So it's not a put getting old at all, it's about more people having no manners.

Yes and sadly these people get power kicks out of being rude to people and making them feel inferior.
Being polite just seems to make them more rude and gives them the go ahead to walk all over you.
Where as the minute you match their tone the change is immediate and they start to back down!

It's definitely changed - people ARE more rude now.

I'd say it's a combination of entitlement and the rise of social media.

I think people are much ruder than they used to be. I honestly don't think it's me noticing it more, they are just worse. More impatient, more nasty, more verbally abusive. I had someone scream in my face (thank god it was through my car window) because he thought I'd driven into his parking space. (I hadn't, I'd been there 10 minutes waiting and saw him drive up!) He was banging on the window and screaming. Awful

Then I hear people shouting at service industry workers. It's totally disgusting. I've learnt that you can really really get things done, whether it be complaints, or sorting something out... if you are firm but polite. These idiots just think screaming abuse works. It doesn't and it's vile.

People are definitely more inconsiderate and have worse manners. It goes for all ages. I think austerity has a lot to do with life becoming dog-eat-dog and it makes me sad.

Customer service jobs are not respected they are seen as stupid uneducated losers. No respect to front line service.

It's because it is so hot.

Ds1 who is 19 has noticed that people in his uni city are very rude. They barge into him and he says the only people he finds are polite and helpful are workers from overseas.

Part of my job is working with the general public from all over the UK mainly. The rudest lot as a group by far are the middle class older people of a certain age. It's as though they were never taught manners or how to speak/complain ( usually about the slightest thing) without tantrums. It's very rare we have any agro with the really older ones or mid, younger generation who tend to be polite. If they have an issue that needs attention they are almost apologetic.
Other members of the company say the same.

I think they are. It's really bad. i agree people are worse in the heat though too. I was at a car place last week and there was almost a fight between 3 very rude customers who were waiting as one group and the poor staff dealing with a delay. I don't think it is an age thing or nationality thing although the English do apologise a lot even if someone pushes into us and some people smile more than others - apparently the Russians in London are amazed how much smiling the British do! You get a lot further in life if you are kind to other people and just shut up if you are not happy about something.

I think I need this putting on a T shirt

100% ruder.

Every time I go to the gym, I'll end up letting a few people go through the changing room door before me...9/10 I get zero acknowledgement. Not even no 'thanks', but I mean NO EYE CONTACT. Like I don't exist. Like, ffs.

People walking down the street, middle of the pavement, fixated on their phone screens, not appreciating other people use the pavement.

and that's it, I think: appreciation...of fellow humans, their surroundings. They don't appreciate.

When I was at school, you'd ask to be excused from the table or stand up when a teacher entered the room...I'm 31, so this wasn't centuries ago or anything! Much prefer those times.

Although Thunder I did not recently around here everyone thanking each other for pulling over in the car to let others go so it's not all hopeless by any means.