In the musical "Chicago," there's a song titled "Class" in which two of the main characters talk about how society has collectively moved away from manners and ethics. It's a catchy tune, but it wasn't until I got older that I thought about the deeper implications of the lyrics.
"What ever happened to fair dealings, and pure ethics, and nice manners? Why is it everyone now is a pain in the a**? Whatever happened to class?"
How is it that a musical set in the 1920s jazz era is still relevant today? Likely because now, more than ever, people are jerks.
That isn't to say that people haven't been jerks since the beginning of time, but I've noticed this society in particular seems to place a special emphasis on class behavior. This isn't' exclusive to the baby boomers or the millennials; trust and believe me when I say this is a collective issue.
The early 2000s have brought a new wave of cynicism, and it's becoming more and more apparent as the years go on that people don't see the need to be nice anymore. What happened to the days of holding doors for people, or smiling at the person who smiles at you, or even something, I feel, as simple as respecting your waiters or retailers when you're out on the town? Is it really that difficult to acknowledge other human beings who are making an effort towards you?
And just so I'm clear, I know there are people out there with issues such as social anxiety, scopophobia, and other such issues that make interaction hard. Trust me, I am one of those people, and I am indeed not talking about you. I'm talking about the wannabe Holden Caulfields of the world who walk around with a perpetual stick up their you know whats, who seem to be completely incapable of common curtesy.
Who's to blame? Certainly, we can't blame this generation in particular for being a bit cynical, considering the world we live in, raging with debt, unemployment, war, and other terrible societal problems. I'm not asking for the world to buck up and pretend that everything's okay when it isn't.
But my God. Is being nice and polite really that difficult? Is mustering some class seriously a problem? Yes, life can suck sometimes, but holding the attitude that it's okay to be a jerk is harmful. There's enough mean, rude, and hurtful people in the world. Why be one of them?
Trust me, you walk around a hell of a lot lighter by being a decent person. A smile won't break your face. Besides, you never know who might need it.
