Apparently today is National Common Courtesy Day, which given the state of our society, is in my opinion much like celebrating masochism. Let me illustrate by sharing my very heartwarming common courtesy experience from this morning:
Driving into work I had noticed a waiting car in an entrance ramp. As was my habit, I gave a small wave of acknowledgement and slowed down to let the driver merge smoothly into the flow of traffic. In passing, the driver lifted his hand as well to say thanks...or so I thought until the fingers curled into the one fingered salute.
Um...thanks?
Perhaps, Honore De Balzac was right when he said that "Courtesy is only a thin veneer on the general selfishness," but ever the optimist, I shall hope that common courtesy is something more and will someday be fashionable again. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go hug my teddy bear until I feel better.
Friday, March 21, 2008
National Common Courtesy Day (Maybe It Should Be Called National Hopeless Optimist Day)
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2 comments:
You try to be nice...Must have made you fight the urge never to do anything nice again!
I try every day to do SOMETHING that is overly courteous, just to up the general level of civility in the world.
I hate how people don't understand when you're being nice.
I'm so often late to classes because I stand there with a heavy backpack for what feels like hours as students, parents, and teachers all pass me without so much as a glance in my direction. Half of them bump into me and give me a look like 'what the hell are you doing in my way?!'
I still try though.
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