The Internet Age

Our generation is faced with an interesting issue. With the creation of more and more technology, society as a whole seems to be slumping into somewhat of a mess. I'm encountering more and more situations where people are being obnoxiously and unnecessarily rude. But what exactly does this have to do with the advancement of technology? The internet gives us something society has never had before. It is now almost completely possibly to deal with most of your issues in life indirectly. In fact, most of life is completed in an indirect manner. With facebook and other social networks, people are keeping in touch less and less in person. Why meet someone for lunch when you can just send them messages over facebook or text? Why call someone or have a meeting when you can just send an email? Technology is reducing the need to speak to other people directly. SO how does this translate to the breakdown of common manners? Being able to indirectly deal with issues just. . . . . causes problems. I don't know, it's hard to explain. Let's say I have beef with you. If I'm staring at you face to face (Depending on how big and bulky your muscles are, or depending on how beautiful of a woman you are) I'm not particularly inclined to yell your face off and rant and rave because of the consequences afterwards. Redo the situation but I'm talking to you over a text or on facebook. It's sooooooooooooooooooooo much easier to flip your lid and say all soerts of crazy stuff when you don't have to deal with the person directly. I don't have to deal with you punching me in my face or running off crying saying you hate me and that you never wanna see me again, because even if you do that I don't have to see it, so it's not my issue. I could care less. So reversing a bit. I guess my desire to bring this up comes from an increased amount of volatile situations I've been in. Even just in the last week! Maybe it's the new job. New pharmacy, to type of work, different situations. But I've been here 7 months and things just seem. . . . worse. Not with the job, just with a few of the people that come in. People seem unreasonable. And If I don't bend over backwards to give them exactly what they want, regardless of the very clear law on my side (not to mention, common sense) it doesn't matter what I think. I should drop everything and just do what they want. Maybe it's because I hate confrontation that things like this throw me into a fit? I am beginning to realize that I really do hate confrontation. I seem to think that I can breeze through life on a smile and just say things in a nice manner and that no one ever has any reason to get mad at me. Well, technically in these last few specific situations there was no reason to get mad at me anyways, I just happened to be the unfortunate one on the end of a phone. But is you're out of your medicine, you have no way to make it to me before our pharmacy closes, and you refuse to have your prescription transferred to another pharmacy, there really is nothing I can do for you. Had you called me about 3 days ago, then we're in a different situation. So is it my fault that you failed to realize that this would be an issue a few days ago? Is it my job to keep track of your medicine? In addition to dealing with things indirectly, we're always passing the blame onto someone else. No one wants to be to blame. That's understandable. It's never fun to be the cause of an issue. But there's a line. When you're to blame, fess up. Get over it. Mistakes are made, on my part and on yours. But to assume that there's no way you're wrong so that it must be my fault? Grow up. You can make mistakes. You will make more mistakes. That's life honey-boo-boo-child. I think I'm staying from my point. I'm only 25. So I don't know how much credit I have to say "Things never used to be like this back in my day." And like I said before, I don't know, it may just be the new job. It may be a full moon and everyone's just crazy (even though I don't believe in superstition.) But it seems like I'm confronted with more and more issues of difficult people. Granted, I work in a cancer facility. These people aren't exactly on a cakewalk. But all joking aside, we're all facing our own mortality, some sooner than others. So, because you're having a bad day you're allowed to walk on me? I'm not being rude here, because I'm not treating you improperly or unjustly. And I repeat, I'm not being mean or unkind to you and I don't mean any disrespect. I treat all individuals with kindness and compassion (At work at least. Some family members and close friends could tell you I definitely have the capacity to be mean, as we all do) so please do not tell me that I'm being unfair to you. If you call a grocery store and say "I need you to deliver my food to me. I can't make it there before you close today." what do you think is going to happen? If you tell a electronics store and say "That other store sells this TV for $699.99, I'm not gonna pay $750.00 for yours." what do you think they're gonna tell you? If you go to a fast food restaurant, finish eating your hamburger and say "I didn't like it. Give me a refund." what do you think they're gonna do? There are rules of life and living that we all have to abide by them. You do not get special rules. Neither do I. What makes you so special? Which brings me to my next point! (I know, this is a long rant.) Entitlement. This is more an issue that I see in the WoW universe, but it all oozes over into society as a whole. People seem to have this sense that if they complain enough then everything will be given to them. When did this all start? Random side note, I was watching a Mystery Science Theater Three Thousand earlier today and it was a reeeeeally old movie that had a promo video in front of the real movie. The promo video was about this little kid who wanted more money for his allowance because he wanted to buy all these cool toys. This kid didn't do a lot of his chores, but still felt entitled to more money. So the narrator took this kid on a journey of what his parents do while he slacks off. They wash his clothes, his dad works to make money, his mom cleans his room, all this jazz. At the end the child realizes "The family is like a team! I need to do everything I can to help mom and dad out because they already do so much for me." And he begins to to more chores and takes on more work to help mom and dad. Great morals right! Even though the video came across as slightly brainwashing, at least it's teaching good and helpful morals >.< I mean, what harm can come from helping others? Anywho, rant over. I think my mind will let me sleep now.