It's been over 10 years now, come on!

Why is this a surprise? How old are the majority of the workforce? We still have to have signs up everywhere with tips on washing your hands and how to sneeze and cough so that germs are not spread.

I'm 37 years old. I think I understand the need to cover my mouth when I sneeze and to wash my hands....
 
Why limit what you say to just cellphones?

What about vehicle traffic (never heard of road rage when I was growing up), waiting in lines, people who do not open or even hold doors for others, males do not give up their seats to ladies, people talk over others, I don't hear many who say "please" or "thank you", people answer phone when you are talking to them in person or on phone (I believe use of call waiting to be rude - that is what voicemail is for).

I could go on and on and on...

I was brought up to be courteous towards others, showing manners and simple common courtesies as a way of life.

If I didn't, whatever happened to me (say, at school) wasn't anywhere near what I was gonna get when I got home and my parents found out about it.

My grandaddy always told me that "if a man's word isn't any good, then neither is he"

I feel like I am in a vast minority when I still follow these kinds of rules, but see so many people who are rude, loud, show little courtesy for others, little or no compassion, many seem to want what they want, and want it NOW, not seeming to care how that affects the rights of others.

My little dog has better manners and patience than many people I see.

You can call me an old fart if you want, but at least I am an old fart with manners.
 
What about vehicle traffic (never heard of road rage when I was growing up), waiting in lines, people who do not open or even hold doors for others, males do not give up their seats to ladies, people talk over others, I don't hear many who say "please" or "thank you", people answer phone when you are talking to them in person or on phone (I believe use of call waiting to be rude - that is what voicemail is for).

I could go on and on and on...

My theory....

After WWII ended, the US was in euphoria, Veterans/Heros returned home, and our economy was booming. People turned inward.. focusing on themselves and how to grab that piece of American Pie. "Keeping up with the Joneses" attitude was always around but it really took off. As a nation we looked towards a strong economy and financial growth as proof that we were on the right track... doing things right. We continued to pat ourselves on our backs while values shifted away from what we all would considered wholesome American Values. A shift that occured right underneath our noses. Simply put, there was a rejection and redefinition in traditional values that were the inner workings of this country for decades prior.

We then had babies. Entire generations raised with these same self centered attitudes; which were in turned passed on. We don't raise our kids... TV and media do. We don't allow the school to discipline children... but we don't either. We don't teach respect to our children anymore... simply tell them to be cut throat in school and get to college. Those that are older and wiser with a more traditional upbringing aren't around in numbers to really pave the way.

My parents were raised in another country where these traditional values are still strong... he waited to have children until after he completed his immigration to the US. As such, my parents had me very late in their years raising me traditionally. Even I find myself at odds with people of my own generation because of this... sometimes it just makes me feel older than I really am.


Again... I'm no historian, financial or economics wizard.. just a regular Joe wondering what the hell happened....


(I mean absolutely no offense to anyone of Japanese heritage) If you want to have a peak to where our younger generations to come are headed, simply read up on some of the issues young Japanese teens are dealing with today. They are truly a demographic caught between a very strong traditional world and a ever changing superficial one.
 
Well put!

The men who came home from WWII, like my father -

They didn't call them "The Greatest Generation" for nothing. I know he raised me right, and I will always be grateful for that.
 
Here's to "The Greatest Generation". :thumbsup:

My only wish was to have a stronger connection to that generation.. someone to ask questions and learn.. lessons that I can pass to my child. My father (at the time a young boy) lived in a town that was liberated by the allied forces and has a deep respect for them. I remember him telling me that those memories drove him to first visit the US and later encouraged him to pursue citizenship.

It are those same memories that drove him to consume American History like a mad man till this day... He's more knowledgeable than most Americans born and raised here. I guess you respect things more when you didn't have it all your life.
 

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