The Rule You Live By Unless Others Deserve It

Most people think that they are nice to other people, yet so many people decry the loss of common manners out there in "society."

I think what people are reacting to is this: People claim to be all for civil discourse, but they are very willing to let it all drop IF THEY FEEL THE OTHER PERSON DESERVES IT.

IMO the difference between the way my mother handled a difficult situation on the street and the way many people handle it now, is that my mother would have remained nice and polite EVEN IF the other person became boorish and obnoxious. She would have removed herself from the situation before ever becoming rude and loud and obnoxious in return.

I think a huge number of people really and truly believe that they are polite and nice people, but they are exactly the ones who will get coarse, rude, and obnoxious in public if they believe the other person deserves it.

onto other people. For instance, someone who thinks another person is a control freak is usually the person who likes to be in control, but won't recognize it in themselves. Every person is capable of having and displaying every human quality, but the qualities we've come to dislike in ourselves abhors us when we see it in others.

I hate the people who are most like me! :rofl: