[OT] What is WRONG with people?

[MaxKaladin]

I know I shouldn't start OT threads, but something just happened that just bugs me and I'm hoping someone can shed some light for me.

I was standing in line at a convenience store this morning on my way to work. Just before I got in line, I saw some guy get directions from the two people in front of me, though I didn't hear any specifics. Once I was in line behind them, I heard them sniggering and one was explaining to the other about how he just gives false directions and how he makes sure they take the person far enough away that they won't want to bother turning around and coming to kick his ass (his words, not mine). I didn't overhear everything they said. I'm a little hard of hearing and the guy doing the talking had one of those fast, clipped accents I associate with people from further north rather than the drawl I'm used to hearing around here. I heard enough to know I'm not mistaken though. These weren't teenagers either. They were around my age (31).

What I have to ask is WHY? What is so dang wrong with common courtesy? What is wrong with just saying "I don't know how to get there?" What is so funny about deliberately doing someone you've never met before a disservice? I supppose this bleeds over to the more general question I find myself asking a lot and have been since the hell that was junior high school: Why do people get such a kick out of doing mean things to people? Especially people they've never even met before. I just don't get it.

I wish I'd overheard those guys quickly enough to catch that guy and give him real directions.

 

[Napftor]

High school holdovers

While I've never encountered that situation, MaxKaladin, I had something sort of similar happen to me yesterday at the mall. I was drifting through the men's section at a JCPenney and a young guy and his woman were doing the same. When they got to the section I was in, I heard them comment on the "dork-ish" style of the clothes. And then the guy clearly said "dork alert" and the girl giggled.

Well, I was the only other person around, and I almost said, "Hey a***ole. Isn't it time to grow up?"

Just another example of people not maturing.

 

[Henry]

If you were to ask them why they did it, and they didn't tell you to "**** off," then they probably would have said that it was fun, or "just because," or some other juvenile bull**** like that. Just because they are physically mature does not mean that they have the morality of my dog.

It is a hard thing to accept, but I dare say you will receive no comfort in answers. The only answer is unfortunately in the sage advice of Dennis Leary: "No matter what you do, there will always be ***holes."

But you aren't alone: Every once in a while, after I've watched the news, or read the newspaper, I like to find a nice quiet corner to bang my head on, hoping the freaking world's horizontal hold will come into focus.

 

[Mystic Eye]

Sadly, almost everytime I am out in public I ask myself "why"!

I am a very up and, excited about life, kind of guy but I sure don't like a LOT of people.

Here is Austin, I see people on the roads doing terrible things just because they are running late. I always say to myself. "They are going to drive like that until they kill someone, a friend, a stranger, a familiy member, and then they will ask why did that happen to me!" Idiots I say.
People, in America today, are gluttonous, spoiled, selfish, mean, uncaring, and generally self-centered. I am being very general here. There are lots of great people out there but they are not causing trouble (not the noise makers) so you don't see them as much. They don't make the news (often), they are not doing things like mentioned here. They just go about their lives being kind and helpful and get very little for thier efforts.

One of our problems is we have adopted the " I'm OK, your OK style of thinking." What does that mean? It means that most people think if it does not appear to hurt others then it is OK. The thinking also works in reverse, if they do it and it does not appear to effect me then it is OK to. Well, this just sucks. Very few stand up anymore and say, hey, that was not cool. You should not do that.
There is way to much fear of the outcome and the self-centered side kicks in. Those that do stand up usually get dragged through the mud for being too concervative or too opinionated.

Yes, people can go to far in their conviction. These are usually ignorant biggits though,
who have some pent-up anger and not the real people who just want to establish "some" form of moral framework in their lives and pass that to others.

Well, I am ranting because this is a sore spot. I have sometimes said I like animals more than most people, at least they are pure in their motives. I stand by that still.

Unfortunately, if I was the one who overheard what those guys said (see the first post) I am the kind of person to say something as I have little fear of reprissal for some unknown reason. This gets me in trouble from time to time but someone, at some point has to stand up for what is right and wrong and that is clearly wrong. I would have made noise about them getting out of line and finding the guy, since they knew wich wrong way he was going. I am sure in their self-centered approach on life they would have thought that I WAS the ass somehow.

Hey, I get on my soap box from time to time becuase I have hopes of better people in a better world. The best we can do is try to surround ourselves with the best people we can find and try to live by example.

Sorry for ranting but I am right there with you all!

 

[Holy Bovine]

Wow, this brought back an old memory for me. About 7 or 8 years ago I ran into an old high school classmate. We weren't friends in high school (in fact he would usually make fun of me because of my weight) but we did know each other and I thought I'd say 'hi'. Afterall it had been 6 years since we were high school.

His response?

"Hey fats!" (or something like that)

This guy was 24/25 and still stuck in high school. I guess some people just don't grow up - once a bully always a bully I suppose.

That and see my sig.

 

[Number47]

The biggest problem is that we have become a society of strangers. In an average working day, you will see far more strangers than you will with people you know and trust. There is no personal reward or payoff for being nice to somebody that you have no reason to believe you will ever see again. There is, however, an immediate reward for being terribly rude to strangers. You might get what you want, or you get to vent yourself on a stranger. For that behavior, there is no repercussion because everybody around you in the (store, restaurant, park) is a stranger.

If we lived in more ancient times, then nearly all of us would grow and die within the same town or village. Everybody would know everybody. If somebody were consistently rude, that behavior would be associated with them. If they were troublemakers, they would find themselves cast out. This is what a real society is based on. In America, this is breaking down more and more every day as our personal actions are no longer associated with us.

 

[PaulKemp]

It is discouraging, isn't it? I think the world suffers from an unfortunate overpopulation of frightened boys masquerading as men who try to make themselves feel better by seizing on these pathetic petty "successes."

Or they could just be jackasses.

Paul

 

[Hand of Evil]

Know the feeling, stuff like this has happened to friends and myself.

I think the cause is a lot of thinks, people are not longer held accountable for their actions, that we have it too easy, and we are failing as a people with our children. I know wonderful people that let their kids do anything and act anyway and do not set rules or tell them right and wrong.

I also see day care as creating mob mentiality, where you have an alpha and then a pack. They look for weakness and follow.

 

[Berandor]

I once saw a documentary about an Australian artist who used a video camera to film the responses to his experiments.
In one, he just stood flat againstg a wall for hours.

On the other side of the wall, there was a construction site, and a worker calculated said artist's size and hit with a sledge hammer against the wall, to punch the brick stones into the artists face and break his nose.

He thought it was funny.

I still can't believe somebody would actually do that, and yet on another level, I feel this is true.

B erandor

 

[Henry]

It is discouraging, isn't it? I think the world suffers from an unfortunate overpopulation of frightened boys...

Don't forget the girls! This world is an equal-opportunity offender. I have indeed met some cold-hearted, backstabbing female strangers in my life, as well. (Or should that just be, 'strange females?')