Arseholes, why are there so many of them?

[MatildaIThink]

It seems to me that the number of arseholes is multiplying at a rapid pace and I am wondering why?

Just from the last week:
One of the parents screaming at the head of the nursery (that my son also goes to), at drop off because they would not accept their child as she had been sick twice, outside, during drop off, was bright green and had a very high temperature.

My husband was out for a run one morning last week, there was a delivery driver with a flat tyre that he was trying to change and my husband asked if he needed a hand which the driver greatly appreciated. My husband said that multiple times whilst they were changing the tire people beeped horns and shouted at them to "get out the fucking way", there was nowhere the driver could have gone, the tyre was completely off the wheel so he could not drive any further and he was pulled over so far the passenger side of his van was in the bushes on the pavement (the next parking area on that road is more than a mile away, but it is a wide road where you could realistically get four cars across so no real issue).

Over the weekend my brother took me and my mum for lunch on Sunday (my husband had our kids at home, normally we would all go, but Mum wanted a lunch with just the three of us as she wanted to talk about end of life care, power of attorney etc. she is not close yet, but wants to get it in place now) to a nice restaurant. It is not a restaurant where one would take young kids, but a family had any they were also letting their children make a lot of noise and run around, after being told to control their children multiple times the manager kicked them out when one of the kids knocked over a waitress carrying food. The family who were kicked out kept making threats to "trash you online with bad reviews" and other similar things as they were leaving.

One of my staff has come in incredibly upset this morning, someone reversed into her in traffic (the reversed at least four meters, possibly five), got out and started screaming at her, saying it was her fault, threatening her, before driving off through a red light. Luckily she has a dashcam and has reported it to the police as well as insurance.

I have noticed that since coming out of the first lockdown there seem to be far more arseholes around and they seemed to have increased their arseholery.

YABU - No, there is the same level of arseholes as before
YANBU - Yes, there are more arseholes and they are worse than ever.

I hear you! I agree! I had my firt run in with one this morning hopefully it will be the last for today but sadly I am highly doubtful!

People seem very entitled these days.

Yes. Im in retail and people have got worse.

I've also noticed lots of people are very reactive and rude lately. One example is that recently a cyclist yelled and cursed at me because I apparently crossed into his way on the footpath. He came around the corner BEHIND me, at high speed, and it wasn't a cycle path, so I've no clue how he thought I was supposed to know he was there.

A year ago, I would have said that attributing this to lockdowns is extreme. Now I completely agree. Lockdowns have ruined a generation’s life chances, peoples overall health, many people’s finances and people’s behaviour in general. A government must not be allowed to do this. It’s structured cruelty.

Completely agree. What's wrong with these people - have they forgotten how to behave?

Yesterday I was in the pub for a quiet drink. Group of blokes in their 40's at the next table, with a 3 year old child with them. Said child was being completely ignored, all the men swearing like troopers, kid playing on ipad with the volume to the MAX to the point where you couldn't hear the music in the pub (or yourself speak). Gives me the absolute rage.

I think we all had a year off arseholes due to living in our lockdown bubbles and now we just notice them more. There have always been the same amount of arseholes IMO.

People have always been arseholes.

I think all the lockdowns and social distancing means people have lost the ability to follow social protocol and pretend to not be arseholes.

I think the level of background stress is higher due to Covid, redundancies, inflation, the news so people are nearer the edge of their tolerance. Hence acting badly with little or no provocation.

I totally agree. The world seems full of them.

Also work in retail and it’s got worse again. During the lockdowns and first wave of covid people were actually quite pleasant to staff, didn’t mind queueing, followed any rules in general. It was genuinely a nice feeling to go to work for me.
Now, not so much. I don’t know if it’s Christmas stress building up, peoples financial and family situations really stretched, fatigue with the whole thing. But in the last 2 weeks I’ve had to deal with utterly foul people on every single shift I’ve worked. We’re talking threats, swearing, complaining to management (that’s me btw) mainly about having to queue or item availability, neither of which I can do much about. It’s worse than it was before for certain.
So much for thanks to key workers 🤷🏼‍♀️

@GoodnightGrandma

People seem very entitled these days.

Yes I think there is more of an entitlement nowadays. I wonder if it’s partly linked to the fact we can get whatever we want (food/deliveries/services) very quickly nowadays? So that constant instant gratification means people get more shirty when they don’t get their way or their needs aren’t prioritised? But that’s just a theory.

I also wonder if people have always been like this but were more subtle - quietly grumbling or moaning about it to their spouse later - but nowadays it comes to the surface much faster!

I have a friend who works for a supermarket’s social media and the things people say to her on there - Christ. I know it can be frustrating when orders don’t turn up or things go wrong but the vitriol and anger some people show is very worrying.

@ssd

Yes. Im in retail and people have got worse.

This is part of the reason I left retail last month and change job completely. It was never ending arse holes.

God yes. My DD worked in retail/hospitality until recently, there have been extraordinary incidents from customers of all ages and both sexes. Snarking, sarcasm, shouting (literal) pointing of fingers, massive entitlement with toddler behaviour, (v danderous for all with a busy floor and open kitchen) swearing, tutting, eye rolling..This was in an extremely upmarket £4.50 a loaf artisanal bakery type operation and might be expected to attract a certain, ahem, 'type' but good grief, the rudeness! Boggling!

Totally agree that the lockdowns have brought out the worst in people. Part of it was the normalisation of hatred towards those who have refused the vaccines, in my view. We have seen media figures and politicians demonising a sector of society and some people think this gives them a licence to be arseholes too.

YABU entitlement and rudeness seems to be the norm these days.

I also think people's driving has become much worse post lockdown. Some people seem to think the roads are just another console game. It's like Frogger with people cutting in to non-existent spaces then. over and undertaking dangerously on the motorways these days!

@HarrietsChariot

If you think everyone else is the problem...

Which of the OP’s examples do you think is her problem?

I have definitely become more of an arsehole since lockdown.

Yes.
People have such little patience and respect for each other now. It’s sad, the more of humanity I see the more I dislike it.

You’d have thought lockdown would have meant we had greater empathy for each other. But instead its become a very insular selfish world.

People are more entitled now and have far fewer inhibitions.

Sometimes I wonder if we are overwhelmed with stress. So, much has happened in recent history. 9/11, bombings, the threat of terrorism, increased security and monitoring, climate change and dealing with climate change deniers and feelings of powerlessness to make any real difference, pandemic and lockdowns and uncertainty, overloaded with constant information, political correctness and being easily offended, loss of a sense of humour etc.

Are there more arseholes or are we just cracking under the pressure.

Retail has definitely got worse everyone has become entitled assholes.
I think due to covid no one can really relax, it's it's bit like wearing a ill fitting bra with a wire sticking in you. You can carry on about your day fine and then from time to time you will have a reminder of it, Its always there, always keeping you on edge pissing you off in the background. To make it worse as everyone has been locked away they all now have colds and other viral illnesses. It's like a form on mental torture just the occasional poke in the back as a reminder.
I try and ignore the assholes smile and carry on, unless I am the asshole then of course I'm 100% in the right 😆

Fighting on social media has also normalised shusive behaviour.

*abusive