Why on Earth Have We Stopped Waiving to Drivers While Crossing the Street?
What has happened to civility?
Did the pandemic destroy any semblance of decency and manners? Honestly, I think the entire world needs a vacation. However, that's not feasible, so we go to the next best thing...a rant.
There's a growing epidemic right now in Portland that is quite frankly appalling. Mainers (and tourists for that matter) have decided that acknowledging your fellow man while crossing the street just doesn't matter anymore.
How did we get to this point? Are we so broken that common etiquette has been thrown out the window? Are we no more civil than our Homo sapien ancestors? It's downright embarrassing.
My walk to the office includes five crosswalks. My track record for acknowledging a car allowing me to go is a whopping 100%. Not that I need to brag. It literally takes zero effort.
Let's go through how freaking simple this is.
1. Walk up to the crosswalk
2. Wait to make sure car stops (you never know with those Massachusetts-plated cars)
3. Start walking across the street.
4. Wave your hand in a kind gesture to the car while crossing
5. Go on living your life
It's amazing how easy it is to, you know, be a civil human being.
I must say, what originally set me off was my drive to work earlier this week, where six of the six folks who I let cross the street didn't acknowledge me. Did they think I was flipping them off? I couldn't get one lousy wave. It's preposterous.
I understand this is a very small thing. However, it's these little things that keep us separated from an uncivilized society.
Maybe that's what people want now. I mean, it's bad enough that men don't even take their hats off at the dinner table anymore. But, now we have to deal with an entire population that refuses to wave at their fellow man.
Like I said, we are broken. However, it can be fixed. It might not be easy...just kidding, it's super easy. Stop being jerks, and acknowledge your fellow man.