What ever happened to...

...manners and decency? It may seem trivial, but basic manners and decency can go a long way. However, it's not something that's practiced as widely as it once was. I believe it all comes down to how parents raise their children. Luckily, my parents have instilled these qualities in me. These days, it seems that such parents are few and far between. These days, children are cursing and behaving obscenely before they even begin elementary school. Sadly, instead of finding this behavior reprehensible, adults are laughing and encouraging it. It's even celebrated on TV and in movies that preach intolerance, stupidity and disrespect. Bad behavior is revered and rewarded--just look at how many bad role models today's children are emulating. Instead of teaching kids the basic 'Please' and 'Thank You', children are learning 'Oh, please! F@%^ you!' Sad, but true. Now, this is not to say there aren't people out there who still practice the dying art of respectful manners, but they are rapidly becoming outnumbered. We no longer live in a society of patience. Everything must be done right away and apparently that leaves no time for manners. People don't care whom they disturb with loud conversations, blasting music and offensive language. They have forgotten that we share a world with other people who have just as much right to be here as we do. They don't realize that bad behavior accumulates and the things we do can be the last straw on someone's back. There are a lot of people with dangerously short fuses and sadly we never know whom we're liable to tick off. We see it every day with mass shootings and seemingly spontaneous acts of violence. Truth be told, if everyone lived their lives with just a little more patience, respect and consideration, these things would happen less often. If we stop ignoring each other and actually take a little time to pay attention to one another, maybe the world won't seem as hopeless. This is not to say everyone should go out, bend over backwards and kiss everyone's ass, but we shouldn't go out of our way to be rude either. Everything we dish out comes back around eventually.