I am seriously thinking about never leaving the house again! It seems to me that people are getting ruder. If I want to be treated poorly or ignored, I can stay home and be abused by my cat.

I’m beginning to think that all the rudeness comes from a sense of entitlement. People cut into line, take up multiple seats on public transportation, and cut off others when getting onto escalators and elevators because they truly believe they are better and more deserving then everyone else. They may have had a bad day (or not), but they need to remember that they aren’t any better or worse then me or anyone else!

The lack of community connectedness also plays a big role, and is more obvious in situations where people don’t hold open doors or give up their seats to the elderly or pregnant women. If there were greater feelings of community, if we knew the people we saw when we were out, I think we would be much more kind.

I would like to think that I’m not rude when I’m out. Being polite and exercising (un)common courtesy is something that I think is part of the Wiccan Rede. Taking up two seats on the subway may not seem harmful to some, but to someone else it might just be the last straw that causes them to give up on “polite” society.