Where is the Respect?
May 5, 2009 • written by Samantha Hartfiel
As swine flu cases spread across the US, a pandemic of different sorts appears to be sweeping through the community. While it is not a horrific disease that kills humans, it is in a sense killing the reputation and image of a civilized human race. This “disease” is disrespect and it’s side effects include ignoring clients, screaming in public places, and any other action that may occur when someone feels that they are entitled. Disrespect seems to be rising quickly, infecting area schools, churches, stores, doctor offices, movie theaters, and almost every place in which humans interact.
One Park junior says she saw a large display of disrespect recently while attending a movie with some friends at a local movie theater. “There was a group of about 7 children, probably about 11 or 12 years old sitting in the back row of the theater when my friends and I walked in,” the junior explains, ” They were unaccompanied and screaming while throwing popcorn. You would think that they would have stopped once the movie began, but they continued to talk loudly even after one woman told them politely to quiet down. The children then proceeded to run up and down the stairs, pull out their glowing cell phones, and change seats repeatedly throughout the entire film. Then, as we were leaving the theater, there was a large pile of popcorn lying in the middle of the aisle. It looked as if when of the kids took a bucket of popcorn and just dumped it on the floor. It was disgusting.” The junior shook her head in disbelief ” The saddest part was there was one boy who kept shouting that they were being disrespectful but he was the one who was screaming and running around the most. The kids were acting like it was their jungle gym.” This is just one example of several isolated incidences of disrespect in the community of South Washington County.
Unfortunately, some of the Park High School students and staff seem to be infected as well. “I was sitting in my history class one day when a student got up right in the middle of class while the teacher was giving a lecture on World War II just to check his grade,” says one student who wishes to remain anonymous, “Needless to say, the teacher was not impressed or amused with this blatant display of disrespect.”
Another student was asking a Park staff member if they had seen one particular lost item, only to get what she claimed to be “a blank stare and insincere sympathy.”
“I had to practically scream at the woman to even get her to notice that I was standing right in front of her desk” claims the student, ” I found it very rude, especially since it was her job to deal with student issues.”
So why does it appear that disrespect is rising, or is it just that people are beginning to notice it more? Do you think that it is just human nature or a trait picked up from today’s seemingly lax society. Let us know what you think! Leave a comment in the comment box if you want your voice to be heard.
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Respect is earned first of all. The word this article was referring to it seems was courtesy if not discipline. The largest issue facing us regarding this piece to be hypocrisy of people. The same individual who are irritated by others behavior often repeat that behavior themselves.I think our society as a whole is collasping around us, as children lose there appreciation, rise there demands, and lower their work ethics. We are the “now” generation. We demand instant gratification yet often don’t back up those demands with work worthy of instant gratification. Our nation was founded on hard work, and personal value. It is time we return to that. Once an appreciation of others quality respect will me earned, not given. Because when you “give” respect it kills it’s value.