Headed Straight To Hell (III)

Headed Straight To Hell (III) - Alright, keeping us all in line seems to be a no- brainer, especially work- wise because we just couldn't afford going astray and plunging right into darkness. Too much free time spent or rather wasted unproductively may easily end in chaos and crime. I think we can all agree on that. - Another branch, which we are not just sitting on but simultaneously sawing at, embodies social values such as etiquette, couth and manners. As long as we keep flippantly amputating that arm, we are more than likely to be sent straight to Hell all over again. What the heck happened to those good old virtues? Are they perhaps on the brink of extinction yet? My parents taught us kids how to interact with others in a well- mannered and polite way. Neither was there much effort or discipline required on their part nor did we ever perceive such as a burden or chore. On the contrary, it all fell into place just fine. Sadly enough, though, exactly those fundamental pillars are barely found any longer in today's younger generations. At times, it shocks me profoundly how barbarian our youngsters are actually becoming. However, what bothers me more than this is that incredible overall lack of respect which seems to be affecting younger and older folks alike. Especially in urban areas, people can be really awful when it comes to respect. I am not talking about friendliness, charms, jolliness or politeness per se here. I get it, all the stress in life, particularly here in the Northeast, is commonly viewed as the killer to any of that, but concerning the increasingly striking absence of respect altogether, I just can't wrap my mind around this. Aside from that, it does worry me because, in my opinion, this translates into just another precursor pointing directly to mankind's decay and demise. - Years ago, I offered my help to someone in a local retail parking lot. That woman was visibly struggling as she was trying to steer two full shopping carts towards her car at the same time. So I approached her asking if she needed a quick hand. Wow, she gave me the look of death and then growled at me that I should get effing lost. I couldn't believe it! Stunned beyond anything, I countered a still polite "Excuse me?", whereupon she completely went ballistic. "You got an effing problem?", she screamed her head off and was even going to charge at me. "No", I timidly uttered and instantly got back into the van. I was truly at a total loss for words! Honestly, does it hurt to show at least a little bit of respect? I truly find it amazing how certain superficial and meaningless words are tossed around in such an appallingly shallow fashion all day long when in reality all that most people would actually like to do is just throw the purest forms of profanity right at you. I truly commend those who have the strength to just walk away with all those potential swear words left unsaid although they seem to be written all over their angry faces. I certainly don't just grin and bear  in the light of any confrontal behavior, and just because I somehow have the knack of handling vulgar people, does not imply that I am okay with it, let alone approve of it. By now, I appear to be crossing the path of folks that are just way past outrageously disrespectful and selfish on a regular base already. Therefore, I often feel I need to bite my lip as not to go off the deep end myself. Depending very much on my daily mental condition, I usually have rather harmless phrases at hand such as "Wow, and you kiss your mother with this mouth?" or "Remember, you get more with honey than with vinegar?" More and more frequently, though, I catch myself expressing my disgust rather instantly without beating around the bush anymore but getting to the point like a straight arrow. I guess, it's only a matter of when someone will physically lash out at me at last for my comments on their socially unfit demeanor. Rage and open aggression have meanwhile become preferred and accepted vehicles for suppressed frustration. Just take road rage, for example. Sometimes you need not even do the slightest thing but just be in the wrong place at the wrong time to set off those ticking time- bomb lunatics on a hair- trigger. Respect quite obviously does not exist in this type of aggressors showing a strong tendency of ultimately going postal. - What a terrible place our world has turned into? Such egotistic, cold- hearted, unemotional, rude, unscrupulous, and disrespectful conduct spells disaster for all of us and ultimately leads right to Hell. - God, have mercy on our souls!