You're hitting a nerve here...

I'm sure that people have been saying that things are going to hell in a handbasket forever. I can just see Atilla saying, "These young Huns got no respect." It's not just young people it's everybody.

Somehow, though, an In-Your-Face attitude has become acceptable...a virtue almost. I've had several people demand "civility" from me while they act in selfish and reckless ways. My definition of "civility" has become, "Standing there being polite while the other guy repeatedly kicks you in the crotch."

Popular culture has helped make this acceptable. Professional athletes act badly and it's written off to some kind of excusable aggressiveness. American Basketball, both pro and pick-up games, is full of people who are blatantly fouling the other players and then saying stuff like, "Hey...it's a physical game. No harm, no foul." One of my current favorites is, "My bad.", which I guess is a sort of non-apology when you want to acknowledge that you did something wrong but don't really care if you apologize.

Can't begin to list the movies that have used bad behaviour as a COMIC device...COMIC...it's for effect...it's supposed to be FUNNY; it's still not the way that people act in REAL LIFE. "Animal House", "Ferris Buehler"...there's lots of them where this goes on and there seems to be a of of people who see this and think that they've got a pass to act that way in real life because it's funny and they get attention.

Punks mouth off...punks have always mouthed off and I've encountered punks of all ages. It's a judgement call as to whether you just let it slide or come up with a witty rejoinder...or a reciprocal insult or a mind-blowing demonstration of profanity guaranteed to convince the offender that he has definitely chosen the wrong cowboy to screw around with.

Seeing as I haven't seen any posts from members who are recounting the details of the night they spent in jail because some dumb-*** made the mistake of insulting their kilt and the resulting exchange of bon mots ended up in fisticuffs, I'm assuming that you guys are choosing wisely.

Best

AA