Rude and crude

There are few things in everyday life more irritating than a chatty person sitting behind you in the dark movie theater. Or how about the driver who flicks you off for inconveniently driving the speed limit? \nAmericans experience a range of rude behaviors in their daily lives, but one transgression seems most pervasive: people talking loudly on their cell phones. In an ABC News survey, 87 percent of Americans say they encounter loud cell phone chatting at least sometimes, and a majority -- 57 percent -- hear it often. Cell phone users curse like Madonna on Letterman, throwing the "F-word" around as much as they can: "How the f*** you been doing, Johnny? It's been way too f****** long."\nBut bad manners go beyond the cell phone. Lack of manners is not about confusing the salad and dinner fork anymore. It is not about etiquette, either. Bad manners are more about being oblivious toward others. It is about the selfish and inconsiderate behavior we experience everywhere -- on the road, in the office, at sporting events and in the grocery store. \nAnd manners are not the only weakening societal standards. Think back to the flip-flop flap that occurred nearly one year ago at the White House. When the women on the Northwestern University lacrosse team wore flip-flops underneath their dresses and skirts to meet President Bush, a scandal emerged. But what shocked adults ("Don't even ask me about the flip-flops. It mortified me," one mother said), was perfectly acceptable to the players. The women defended their choice of attire, arguing they wore a dressy version of the casual sandal. \nIn the debate over unraveling social norms, America's youth is specifically being targeted. Sixty-two percent of college students say they pay little attention to social convention, according to USA Today. Times are a changin' and the manners your grandparents were taught are quite different than those today. They were told by their parents not to put their elbows on the table; we are being told not to write a thank you note by e-mail. When I was on a date earlier this year and the guy opened the car door for me, I remember feeling so completely taken aback that I let out a loud gasp. In this age of gender political correctness, men simply aren't taught to open the door for women anymore.\nWhile many are quick to point fingers at parents and the media, bad manners, to some extent, can be linked to our busy schedules. Many feel there are not enough hours in the day to be courteous and polite, much less wait for a limping, 82-year-old pedestrian to cross the street. We are a generation that demands instant gratification: Waiting in line at the bank is too time consuming so we extract cash instantly from the ATM. And because ordering food the traditional way at a restaurant can take well over an hour, we visit one of the world's 30,000 McDonald's on a daily basis. Make us wait even a second too long and we explode in anger.\nWhile we may be a cursing, road raging, flip-flop wearing generation of inconsiderate jerks, there is still hope. You don't have to join a seminary, stop watching "Beavis and Butthead" reruns or even take an etiquette class to enhance your manners. A simple "thank you" can go a long way.