Why Do So Many People Behave Like Jerks?
Read Time:3 Minute, 27 Second
As many of you know, I take a power walk every afternoon. I use the time for exercise and to think about things and observe the human zoo around me.
On a typical day, I will see several cars double parked, blocking other cars. I’ll see lots of instances of changing lanes without signaling. Here, it is common to see people turning right from the middle or left lanes., or left from the right lanes.
How many times have we seen people parking in handicapped spots when there are other spaces nearby?
In stores, we have all seen people in the express check out with several times the permitted number of items.
When I lived in the southern USA, I would see little old ladies ramming their shopping carts in front of others to get through the checkout sooner.
Even in minor things, people are often jerks. We see people throwing trash on the ground or out their car windows where there are trash containers close to them.
Just tonight, in a house nearly a block away and on the other side of the street, some people were playing music from a big van so loudly, I could not hear the TV even with windows closed. It was so loud, the speakers were over driven and the sound was distorted beyond recognition.
When I walked down to confront them, they were about five young guys from maybe 18-22. They refused to admit they were doing anything wrong and refused to turn it down. When I reminded them this was a barra residencial (Residential neighborhood and asked them if they had no respect for neighbors, they told me to get fucked. Then I said they could either turn it down or I would call the police. There are laws here about excessive noise and the multas (fines) for violations are fairly stiff. At no time did I suggest they turn it off completely, just down to a reasonable level.
About that time, an older man came out who looked to be the father of some of them. He was much nicer and when I mentioned the same things to him about being a residential area and respect for neighbors, he was very polite. I thanked him and snarled at the young ones and started home. Before I had gone 30 meters, the noise was off, but two of the boys were still on the sidewalk making obscene gestures to me. The noise has not returned, so neither will I.
The entire point is, why are people so thoughtless and uncaring?
My thoughts are, summed up in two words – personal convenience. It is not convenient to have to walk an extra 30 feet when there is an empty spot right there. It is not convenient to walk to a trash can when the ground it right there. The municipal workers will clean it up eventually, anyway.
It’s OK to double park because “I’ll just be a minute” so the people I am blocking can wait. They shouldn’t be in such a hurry anyway.
We want to test how loud the speakers in this big van will get. It’s Carnaval and we will be in the parade. It’s a lot of trouble to drive to a different area so we’ll just do it at home. What if it does wake up babies and disturb sick people? It’s not convenient to go to a business park. That’s 6 KM away.
I have lived in eight US states, Quebec, Holland, and now Brazil. I have seen similar behavior everywhere I have lived or visited. Generally, Scandinavia does not litter as much as other places, but other behavior isn’t much different.
Is it a natural human condition to place personal convenience ahead of being a decent human being? If it is, I say, “Come on asteroid.” It will be a change for the better.
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I express the same sentiment as taking comfort in human mortality. I figure that the jerk will predecease me or I the jerk. Either way, I eventually will no longer have to put up with the asshole.
the Thank You Note, I suspect, is either long forgotten or reduced to the touch of a few keys and the click of a mouse. All conveniences, of course, but sad thinking of a lost time where life was more “personal.”
My mother who I affectionately call lil Hitler, was big on the thank you note, in turn I was forced to do it and the practice just stuck with me. Now I get to torture my niece and nephews the same way, in the hopes it will stick with them.
Jess, so was my mother. She was also short, 5′ 1/4′. (She always insisted on the 0.25 inch)
It always seemed like a PITA to me then. Now, I do use electronic means when possible, but I always make a personal car, not a pre-made one from a web site. Yes, it’s a bit more work, but I like doing it and everyone can see I did more than click a few choices.
Thanks, Mom. I’m a better person for it.
I think part of it, lots of people are not held accountable for jerkitudeness or douchebaggery. Other thing too, some people just don’t make time to be polite anymore, everyone is just too busy apparently. I gave my niece and nephews a ration of shit, right after the holidays, about not sending thank you cards for gifts they got. Little thing like that, makes the day of the person getting the thank you note.
James, it is getting worse but now but it tracks back to the seventies and the beginning of the “me entitled” generations. This when consideration of others began to disintegrate. It really got rolling in the 1980’s and has gotten worse with every generation since.I have been harping on this a while, not that it matters, but people being raised during those years have felt entitled to anything they wanted, when they wanted it, any way they wanted it, and they should not have to do anything to get it except be born.
I think people who toss their cigarette butts out the car window should be made to pick up garbage along a 100 mile stretch of highway, in the dead of winter, in bare feet! LOL
You’re correct James. Kooks hate gun laws because it would inconvenience them. God forbid a guy that wants a gun have to wait a week for a background check because the inconvenience isn’t worth the possibility of saving children’s lives from a but who wants a big gun to kill them.
Good point, Joe. I didn’t think of that one, but it’s a valid point.