Lately the most dangerous activity I've read about concerns deep rudeness. And one of my friends worries me more than everyone else I know because she is now suddenly a "hero" and an "essential worker."
She works at a Dollar Tree in a small city in Arizona and has worked there for more than seven years. She has an awesome work ethic but does not suffer fools gladly. I have always loved listening to her stories of wonderful or awful customers because I used to work at the low end of retail myself.
Why did I assume that, as the pandemic shutdown continued, Americans would be kind and understanding, patient and helpful? Partly it's because I still believed that adults should act like grownups, not children. I believed adults would follow rules because that's the right thing to do.
Horribly, my friend's customers are behaving selfishly, unkindly, and in aggressively self-centered ways, and for the first time in my memory, my friend is scared. Her customers' every want and need must be met immediately, their children must be free to roam the store and touch everything, and those magic words (please and thank you) are missing in action. All demands are made very loudly and she is often accused of lying, hoarding, and being stupid.
I understand the US citizenry is almost hopelessly divided but I thought we were better than this, so much better. I know we do not, indeed can not, agree on everything. But I'm pretty sure we can agree that "you catch more flies with honey than vinegar," can't we? Screaming at others, whether to make a demand or to demand to be heard, is a losing strategy. It's certainly a loser when a situation spirals from rudeness to violence.
Please consider spreading joy and kindness instead of anger and hatred, even if things are difficult in the moment. Every one of us can make a positive difference in the lives around us if we care to. And if we don't care to, shame on us!