Post by Mike--LFAC on Jul 13, 2013 18:06:26 GMT -5
May 6, 2013
Events of the past month have made me think more about how we interact with each other. First, I witnessed a customer at a local restaurant make an utter fool of himself because (apparently) the temperature of his food was incorrect. Five minutes of yelling at the waiter may have warmed his plate from the hot air--and I am sure the waiter brought his food out this way on-purpose--but it was dispiriting to hear an expletive laced tirade over a small issue.
Next, driving to work and watching a Escalade or similar behemoth tailgating an older women in her mid-1980s Buick. From the pace of traffic, everyone in the wad of cars was going at the speed limit but apparently the Buick was not going quick enough for the Escalade, piloted by a Mom, with the obligatory cell phone glued to her head. Rather than drop back and change lanes, the driver felt obligated to ride the horn and gesture (you are #1) out the window. When she finally was able to pass the Buick, just prior to the next red light, she abruptly cut back in front of the car, and continued to yell out the window at the driver.
Finally, while attending a high school soccer match between local teams, I saw several parents ejected for yelling at the referee. It was no wonder some of the players were so mouthy--just look in the stands and see the example set by their parents.
So--how do we interact? Has it become the Bill O'Reilly approach where volume and coarseness makes correctness? While these are individual (and thankfully somewhat rare) instances--the numbers seem to be on the rise. I am seldom out in public without witnessing some form of foul language or action. Why? If it is the examples set by those in the polarized media--stop listening to them and think for yourself. The purpose of 24 hour news is not to inform, it is about ratings (money) which means promoting sensational headlines and fear. Is it because ranting and raving seems to work--maybe--but at what cost. Short-term diatribes may get a warm plate or move you up 2 spots in traffic, but at what cost. Think of the example being set. Think about the number of people we interact with on a daily basis. Some of those interactions have the chance to make a positive or negative difference to another person. Short tempered screaming ensures the interaction is negative and sets a terrible example for those on the field, in the restaurant, or in the child seat of an Escalade.
Events of the past month have made me think more about how we interact with each other. First, I witnessed a customer at a local restaurant make an utter fool of himself because (apparently) the temperature of his food was incorrect. Five minutes of yelling at the waiter may have warmed his plate from the hot air--and I am sure the waiter brought his food out this way on-purpose--but it was dispiriting to hear an expletive laced tirade over a small issue.
Next, driving to work and watching a Escalade or similar behemoth tailgating an older women in her mid-1980s Buick. From the pace of traffic, everyone in the wad of cars was going at the speed limit but apparently the Buick was not going quick enough for the Escalade, piloted by a Mom, with the obligatory cell phone glued to her head. Rather than drop back and change lanes, the driver felt obligated to ride the horn and gesture (you are #1) out the window. When she finally was able to pass the Buick, just prior to the next red light, she abruptly cut back in front of the car, and continued to yell out the window at the driver.
Finally, while attending a high school soccer match between local teams, I saw several parents ejected for yelling at the referee. It was no wonder some of the players were so mouthy--just look in the stands and see the example set by their parents.
So--how do we interact? Has it become the Bill O'Reilly approach where volume and coarseness makes correctness? While these are individual (and thankfully somewhat rare) instances--the numbers seem to be on the rise. I am seldom out in public without witnessing some form of foul language or action. Why? If it is the examples set by those in the polarized media--stop listening to them and think for yourself. The purpose of 24 hour news is not to inform, it is about ratings (money) which means promoting sensational headlines and fear. Is it because ranting and raving seems to work--maybe--but at what cost. Short-term diatribes may get a warm plate or move you up 2 spots in traffic, but at what cost. Think of the example being set. Think about the number of people we interact with on a daily basis. Some of those interactions have the chance to make a positive or negative difference to another person. Short tempered screaming ensures the interaction is negative and sets a terrible example for those on the field, in the restaurant, or in the child seat of an Escalade.
