The Demise of Courtesy: It's Not Just a Young Person Thing

My wife and I cherish our weekly date night at the movies. It's a simple pleasure, a chance to escape and connect. We also enjoy taking in concerts, plays, and various other live events. Over the years, these outings have become a reliable barometer for observing societal trends, and lately, the reading isn't exactly heartening. What we've noticed, with increasing regularity, is a palpable decline in common courtesy.

The tell-tale signs are everywhere: the persistent glow of phone screens during a poignant scene, conversations carried out at near shouting volume throughout a performance, and a general disregard for the shared experience of those around us. While none of this is groundbreaking news – complaints about inconsiderate behaviour in public spaces are as old as public spaces themselves – there's a persistent narrative that pins the blame for this erosion of etiquette squarely on the shoulders of the younger generation. And that's where our observations diverge.

Don't misunderstand me, we've certainly encountered our fair share of youngsters glued to their devices or whispering amongst themselves. However, what has become increasingly apparent to us is that these behaviours are far from exclusive to one age group. In fact, our experiences suggest that discourtesy is often more prevalent among older adults. We've been subjected to lengthy phone calls from those old enough to know better, and witnessed animated discussions about who knows what during the climactic moments of a film, courtesy of seasoned citizens. Thankfully, we're a pretty laid-back couple, so it rarely ruins our evening, but it’s undeniably distracting and, frankly, a little baffling.

Another aspect of this declining courtesy that consistently surprises us is the apparent disregard for punctuality. Our recent experience attending the Broadway hit "Come From Away" perfectly illustrates this. As the powerful opening numbers filled the theatre, a steady stream of latecomers shuffled in, fumbling for seats and disrupting the immersion for everyone already settled. This wasn't a handful of stragglers; it was a noticeable flow of people arriving well into the performance, showing a distinct lack of respect for the performers and their fellow audience members.

These observations have led us to a somewhat unsettling conclusion: perhaps we, as a society, are increasingly losing sight of how our individual actions ripple outwards, affecting those around us. The other evening, while watching "Interstellar," a line resonated deeply. One of the scientists remarks, "We can care deeply - selflessly - about those we know, but that empathy rarely extends beyond our line of sight." This feels increasingly true. We seem to operate within our own bubbles, often oblivious or indifferent to the impact of our behaviour on the collective experience.

So, what's the point of this little blog post? It's simply this: to gently push back against the easy scapegoating of young people when it comes to the perceived demise of courtesy. While every generation likely has its moments of inconsideration, our experiences suggest that the issue is far broader and, perhaps surprisingly, often more pronounced in older demographics. It's a societal issue, a reflection of a potential erosion of collective awareness and empathy that transcends age. Maybe, instead of pointing fingers, we should all take a moment to consider the view from beyond our own line of sight and strive to be a little more considerate, regardless of our age.