Mojave Jack
One Too Many
- Messages
- 1,785
- Location
- Yucca Valley, California
Thanks! I appreciate the kind words and feedback!Dan G said:I'm in complete agreement Jack, I just wish my vernacular would allow me to word such things so beautifully.:eusa_clap
Very true! I particularly agree with the damage being wrought by the video games that propogate very questionable values. The argument that "it's only a video game" really doesn't hold water, either; it's still a process of dehumanization and increasing insensitivity. The question of removing one's hat is simply an extension of that insensitivity towards others. It may seem like a simple gesture, but the rules of social etiquette serve to remind us that we are part of a society, and not a collection of individuals. The Civil War illustrated that fact effectively. Prior to the Civil War, when referring to the United States, it was common to say "the United States are..." Following the Civil War, it became common practice to say "the United States is..." meaning that it is a single, unified nation vs. a collection of individual states. The distinction is a minor one, seemingly one of just semantics, but the implications are huge. The same is true of all those small gestures of etiquette we make in our daily lives. The distinction between not removing your hat in a bar and removing your hat in someone's home or office serves the same subtle, but meaningful, purpose.Dan G said:I think it's not just the isolationism caused by TV, DVDs, etc, but the "it's cool to be rude" message that permeates so much of popular culture these days. Popular music, video games like Grand Theft Auto, movies and TV reinforce these "values." Nor is it just younger people. Yesterday, a middle-aged woman in a mini van tried to run me off the road. She looked old enough to be from the generation where parents still taught manners (of course even then the lesson didn't take with everyone).