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Signs of the times? Civility may be at all-time low

For most, it's do as I do, not as I say, no matter if it's good or not good. We are blessed with reasonably respectful polite children. We didn't go out of our way to teach civility or politeness. In fact we actually forgot about it, but fortunately the "do as I do" fact of life did our teaching for us. My children now often note that most of the politest young people they know are those in their church or are immigrants (them and/or their parents). So what happened to everyone else? One older and wiser sage said it's the clothes we wear - we behave as we generally dress. He said back when men wore suits & ties all the time and women dressed accordingly we behaved as well dressed people. Now most look like slobs and act like slobs. I think he has squarely hit the nail on the head with that one. A slob is as a slob does.

Cell phone users are the worst.

They don't have a clue when and where they "should" use their phones.

If you are driving, wait until you are stopped or pull over and use the thing. Don't risk my life because you are so focused on the call that you can't even pay attention enough to drive on the road. Have some respect for others...if you don't for yourself.

And...when in a restaurant or in the company of another person you are having a conversation with, end the call or don't even take it. If it isn't an emergency...have your callers use a signal if it is so you don't have to be rude and use the phone when you shouldn't.

As was mentioned in the article...how rude for someone to be on the phone when you are in the store and you are waiting in line for help but don't have the respect to end your call...I would ave to agree...next in line please!

It all boils down to one thing...Selfishness. Think of others and maybe you just might know or at least learn when you should be using your cell phone and other areas of good manners.

I think this article was very well said. I don't like it when I see people who aren't supposed to park in the Handicap spaces who "just need to run in for a second" or the use of cell phones by drivers who then don't pay attention to traffic and nearly wipe out the car in front of them when it comes to stop at a light and they didn't realize that cause they were to busy talking. So I can only say AMEN to this article.

Your article made good point. However, it talks about the problems from all walks of life but lacks in resolution to their problem. People complains, blame, and/or degrade to whatever degree they talk about. Interoffice gossip is an example, it can be vile or whatever, just as long as it is "juciy", they'll still spread around behind your back. I tried by being a good example by being a dead end to these remarks. Did the karma catch on? No ... Not even close. Ugh, where's the civility?

Kindness begins with me...

These comment boards are a good example of "loss of civility." The anonymity of the internet releases amazingly harsh and personal attacks. I would love to use these boards as a discussion group, a place to ask questions and learn from each other.
I am not suggesting they be removed, just stating my opinion and experience.

I am trying to teach my children good manners in two ways: I treat them with civility, and we avoid TV with negative examples. Yes, that is almost everything, even on "kids" channels. There are great shows however- "Dirty Jobs" on Discovery is one. The respect the host gives to the common working man expresses something wonderful, something I like my children to see, despite the occasional four letter word.

The vicious,obnoxious and condescending tone any political discourse takes, the strident talking heads and condescending bashers supporting both major parties have made this country much more rude overall. The total discounting and devaluation of anyone with an opposing viewpoint even on a minor issue is not uncommon these days.
I avoid discussion of religion and politics in public because those topics can start a hate fest and attacking faster than anything. All sides are guilty.

Utah drivers are extremely dangerous. They're both more aggressive and less aware of their circumstances than drivers in any other city I've lived -- that includes Las Vegas.

Slow down! Pay attention to your driving!

Amen to Denise. I am from the Netherlands and used to read the online paper on a daily basis. I noticed I started to really dislike my former countrymen, because of the harsh judgments expressed on the comment boards. I thought the Dutch had changed, until Deseret News started to allow comments. The comments posted here reflect the same harsh judgment that I noticed in the Dutch paper. I shy away from reading comments because of that, but when I read this article, I was curious if someone else noticed. I wonder if the anonymity encourages people to be so dark. When I visit Utah or the Netherlands, however, I see a different kind of people. Of course there are cell phones, political discussions etc., but there is still some civility, although it is getting less.

People do not care because there are no consequences for their actions. It is a law that you need to signal before changing lanes. Does any one do it? Seldom. Why? Because the police don't have the time or man power to enforce it. Everyone lives in their own little bubble and don't care about anyone but themselves. Treat others with courtesy and you will find you are treated the same.

The character and personality of our society is being changed by two groups for the main part. These groups are the Hate broadcasts and the telephone sales people who won't accept a simple no for an answer.

Both of these groups bring up the level of frustration and anger for our fellow men.

Really, it comes down to whether an individual has self-respect. The capacity for getting along with our neighbor depends to a large extent on the capacity for getting along with ourselves. The self-respecting individual will try to be as tolerant of his neighbor's shortcomings as he is of his own.

In my day, we didn't have self-esteem, we had self-respect, and no more of it than we had earned. Self-respect is the fruit of discipline; the sense of dignity grows with the ability to say no to oneself.

We happen to live in a society that values immediate gratification, in such a society it is difficult to cultivate or even pass on self-discipline or self-denial.

The article is merely reporting symptoms of our greatest ill, a total lack of respect, for self and for others.

When I am dealing with a clerk, who stops to answer the phone, while I stand there, usuallly that I have just left, and has no customer when they finally do come back.

This atrocious action is an assignment by the business manager, who believes that in as much as they almost have my money, that it's okay to be rude in this manner is then acceptable.

Well, it isn't.

The highways are a very dangerous place. As a retired police officer I now recognize more than ever that each of us need to look out for and protect each other on those highways. Courtesy and respect are so important.

Slowing down is not the answer to all driving problems. Indeed, if more dunderheads would travel at the speed limit or move over to the right-most lane, 70% the lane-changing by "agressive" drivers would no longer be needed. It's amazing how often I see cars changing lanes to get around a driver going 10 miles below the speed limit because he's unable to drive properly while chatting on the cell phone.

I believe the article touched on one of the key reasons for this problem and that is selfishness. One other reason, I believe, is a lack of true self esteem. I see many people talking [often loudly] on cell phones in airports, vehicles, stores, etc. and I believe they are needing to validate their importance. I'm not really impressed. We all have cell phones; we all have cars; we all have important meetings, deadlines and customers. I'm not impressed with your phone or your conversation. Unless you're talking to the President or it's a true medical emergency - it can wait and you can take it outside. The next steps will need to be cell phone usage legislation and/or self regulation. The civil thing to do would be to self regulate with some common concern for others.

I agree. I've lived in Vegas for a while now after moving here from Utah. I find drivers, and people in general, to be more civil than the ones I encountered in Utah.

Maybe I'm wrong, but I attribute this, in general again, to the lives people have had. In Utah, you mostly have people who were raised without any struggle and have an entitlement attitude. In Vegas, you have people who have had tough lives and have learned to appreciate what they do have.

You may complain about clerks in stores who are on the phone, but I AM one of those business managers and we are only on the phone to call another store for business purposes( i.e. checking on an item for another client).
What really irks me(and all other retailers, store clerks, and anyone else you seem to think below you, is that you'll bring your items to the cashwrap, toss them on the counter with your credit card, then turn around and keep chatting. For some reason, you lack the manners to even say hello after I've spent the last hour assisting you. And no, I actually don't get paid to suck up to you, despite what you may think. I get paid to run a business and find it very upsetting when you can't find the time to even thank me.
People who talk on their phones while ignoring retailers, store clerks, McDonald's workers, etc... are not superior, they're RUDE.

The old aphorism is that if you give someone an inch they will take a mile: we've seen this in people's inability to regulate their cell-phone usage. It would, therefore, be in the best interest of theaters, restaurants, and other such public venues to put up cell phone jammers. No signal: no annoying dillweeds yacking about last night's game (or worse) while your trying to enjoy a meal, or even worse, a movie.

People cannot and will not regulate themselves: this is why we have law.

While you may think retailers have nothing better to do then chat on the phone, let me set the record straight. I AM one of those business managers and we only ever use the phone for business purposes(i.e. check on an item for another client. . . this may be a shock to you but you aren't the only one we're helping).
What I find to be offensive, and I believe anyone else in my industry would agree, is when you can't find the time to get off your cell phone while I'm completing your purchase and at least say thank you after I've spent the last hour assisting you. Despite what you may think, I don't get paid to suck up to you or swallow your nasty attitude. When you treat retailers, store clerks, McDonald's workers like trash, it doesn't make you superior. It makes you RUDE.