by JH 31 Replies latest jw friends
The people I work with are generally very polite and well-mannered.
We remember an incident where somebody who was rude to us more than we remember the opposite. Just like negative, attacking political ads have more effect than a simple ad extolling the virtues of the candidate they want you to vote for.
I'm so sorry, I was joking. Oh, I'm really sorry. I didn't mean it.
Rosemarie
Rosemarie,
I'm so sorry, I was joking. Oh, I'm really sorry. I didn't mean it.
I didn't mind, it was funny. You should see how I'm treated on other forums...
Maybe in Canada we are just more polite. Tipping hats? Not often. Doffing a Fubu hat musses the hair. Lots of doors being held open, for both sexes. Especially if the honoree is carrying a bunch of packages.
My pet peeve? The kids on the bus in the morning. Staring straight ahead like nobody's business, their backpack on the window seat with arm draped over it protectively, a plumpish fortysomething momma standing in the aisle, glaring laser eyes through the kid's sunglasses, as the packed bus lurches down the street.
Have they no manners?
I agree with Reborn. It is a combination of media portrayal and poor upbringing.
Why can't people cover their mouths anymore when they sneeze or cough?
Do people actually think that what they have to say is so important that everyone else wants to watch their half chewed food spinning around like a front load washer while they chew and talk at the same time? If people would look in a mirror just once while they talked and chewed they would want to vomit.
Do people really think they are making a statement anymore wearing jeans no matter WHAT the event? That used to be a statement. Now you blend in like one of many clones in a factory. It feels like we live in a prison camp or something with everyone in their jeans.
And, worst of all, are the people who wait on you in stores. Rude seems to be a requirement to be a clerk. Well, guess what? More and more, I am shopping online. Bought a wedding gift today...no time spent on road with rude drivers. No snotty clerks. No standing in line while one or two checkout clerks dink around and 20 other checkouts are closed. And free gift wrapping! Stores bitch that online shopping hurts them. I really don't care if all the stores in my neighborhood go out of business if they are going to treat me like they are doing me a favor just opening their doors.
I sound like a very negative person. I am not. I am actually in sales and I love going the extra mile to make my customers feel valued. I love making a difference (positive difference) in a persons day. I feel it is an honor if someone picks me to serve them. In Europe, people understand that it is honorable to serve. Here in the USA we seem to think we all should be served, but noone wants to do the serving. It amazes me. One of the highest honors in life is to be able to do something for someone that helps them by giving them a product of service they need or by enriching their lives. Honoring other peoples needs satifies one of our greatest needs: The human need to feel valuable and like you have contributed to something.
That said, thanks for listening to me vent. I hope you all have a very pleasant week!
Holding the door, or opening the car door is how I see myself. Letting people ahead in line or the " please, thank you, yes sir or may I" is how I was raised. I have no control over how others react to my courteous acts toward them. But "to thine own self be true". When we let others change our core behavior we become unhappy with ourselves and this may lead to mild depression. I believe this is why so many are unhappy at the Hall, they don't like themselves.
Being courteous does not mean being a doormat or a whimp. Even with the Duds, I am nice to them, (except the dirtbag PO) and when they act out back, then I stand up to them. Maverick
Self-absorption afflicts today's society; note the widespread practice of ``tuning out" everone and everything else by means of Walkman, MP3 and porable CD players, to say nothing of ``boom boxes." And a not inconsiderable segment of today's women take any sort of deferential or chivalrous treatment as demeaning, a vestige earlier times when women were regarded as ``the weaker sex" and needful of being escorted through life by a protective male.
I know I used to be a much nicer and considerate person, but you can only take being used so many times before you become angry and cynical and form a barrier around yourself so as not to allow things like that to happen again.[/QUOTE]
I completely agree with this statement.
Over the past couple of years, I've done a lot of learning about relationships, dating, and interacting with the opposite sex, as well as standing up for myself. How many of you single guys treat a good looking woman like a princess? Ever notice how you treat a woman well, and she ditches you for some asshole with a grade 8 education, and treats her like shit?
I'll tell you guys something, being nice doesn't get you anywhere in this world. Being nice gets your heart broken, gets you walked all over, and taken advantage of. Whenever someone sees you as a nice guy, they'll see you as a person they can take advantage of, and you'll let them because you're nice.
One of the harsh realities of coming out of the WTS is being nice only gets you places amongst JWs. When you enter "The World", you enter reality. This isn't the "paradise earth" that the JWs are always talking about. You have to adapt to reality, the reality that the JWs have been trying to keep you away from for so many years. It involves a lot of changes to your personality, but if you adapt well, you can succeed incredibly.
I'm usually polite, and hold the door for anyone *anyone* coming. But a few minutes ago, this lady entered the door behind me, it's the second time I'm holding the door for her in two days, and there was no sign of a thank you, no word, no nod, no sign of anything wahtsoever. I guess virtue is its own reward, but it must suck being perceived a weasel.
I'm always polite, I thank people who hold a door for me and my kids and I likewise hold the door for others. What makes me mad is when people ignore my kids. My kids are very friendly and like to say hello to people walking by, etc. So many people just flat ignore them. The last time it happened, we were sitting on the tailgate at the beach. The same family walked by twice and ignored the kids friendly "hello" twice. We just told the kids they were rude people. What is wrong with them?
