(This is a speech, so it may read a little awkwardly)
What do car alarms, hello, doors have to do with each other? They are all examples of how John and Jane Doe don?t mind other people?s business. Wait a minute; aren?t we supposed to mind our own business? Ah! Not when common courtesy and respect for others are involved.
Picture an average American Jane Doe exiting a department store onto a bustling street. A car alarm blares nearby, and a package-laden man approaches the store entrance; A common scene by anyone?s definition. Unfortunately, Jane?s ensuing actions are also far too familiar. Mrs. Doe turned onto the sidewalk and went about her business. What would you do in this situation? What do you honestly think the average American would do? Would you hold the door for the man? Would you look about to see if someone?s car was endangered?
Luckily for Jane, when she reached her car, nothing was amiss, and the alarm had been silenced. ?Thank goodness?, thought Jane as she hopped into her car, and pulled out into traffic. 30 minutes later, Jane arrived outside her house, wondering what John had cooked for dinner. Mrs. Smith said a smiling, ?Hello,? as Jane strode up her driveway. Embarrassedly, Jane ducked her head and scurried inside. As my girlfriend?s grandfather frequently says, ?You pass somebody on the street, and say ?hello?, and they?re stuck for an answer?. Are we really too embarrassed to say hello to a stranger on the street?
John had decided that they would go out for dinner and a movie that evening instead of dining in. At dinner, John got a phone call from a client, which lasted for several minutes. If this has ever happened to you, you can understand why Jane was slightly miffed with her husband. John had totally ignored her, even though it was his idea to go out in the first place.
Think back on Jane and John?s actions. Was she rude or mean to anyone? No. Could her head been a little less deep into the sand? Certainly. Would you expect more from Jane? No? Well maybe you should. As a member of the community, should she not look out for out for and respect the people around her?
Not so many years ago, someone would have been considered rude if they did not hold the door for another. Why this has changed, I do not know, but nonetheless, it has. We no longer expect, but rather are surprised to receive this once-common courtesy.
Fortunately, people are not impassive to interruptions by cell-phones and pagers. People still get indignant when someone ignores them for a phone, or disturbs their movie with a page. However, this too is gaining acceptance. Fewer people voice their displeasure with others, which easily leads to the misconception that there is no displeasure.
This trend can and must be reversed. When something displeases you, let it be known. You don?t have to bite the offender?s head off; a frown could be sufficient. More importantly, express your pleasure when something pleases you. Countless studies have shown that positive reinforcement works better than negative. A simple ?thank you? can go a long way. Most importantly, set an example with your own actions. Please, keep this in mind as you go through you day; maybe someone will get a hint from your actions.
--Does anyone have any thoughts on this topic, or suggestions on how to better my speech?
What do car alarms, hello, doors have to do with each other? They are all examples of how John and Jane Doe don?t mind other people?s business. Wait a minute; aren?t we supposed to mind our own business? Ah! Not when common courtesy and respect for others are involved.
Picture an average American Jane Doe exiting a department store onto a bustling street. A car alarm blares nearby, and a package-laden man approaches the store entrance; A common scene by anyone?s definition. Unfortunately, Jane?s ensuing actions are also far too familiar. Mrs. Doe turned onto the sidewalk and went about her business. What would you do in this situation? What do you honestly think the average American would do? Would you hold the door for the man? Would you look about to see if someone?s car was endangered?
Luckily for Jane, when she reached her car, nothing was amiss, and the alarm had been silenced. ?Thank goodness?, thought Jane as she hopped into her car, and pulled out into traffic. 30 minutes later, Jane arrived outside her house, wondering what John had cooked for dinner. Mrs. Smith said a smiling, ?Hello,? as Jane strode up her driveway. Embarrassedly, Jane ducked her head and scurried inside. As my girlfriend?s grandfather frequently says, ?You pass somebody on the street, and say ?hello?, and they?re stuck for an answer?. Are we really too embarrassed to say hello to a stranger on the street?
John had decided that they would go out for dinner and a movie that evening instead of dining in. At dinner, John got a phone call from a client, which lasted for several minutes. If this has ever happened to you, you can understand why Jane was slightly miffed with her husband. John had totally ignored her, even though it was his idea to go out in the first place.
Think back on Jane and John?s actions. Was she rude or mean to anyone? No. Could her head been a little less deep into the sand? Certainly. Would you expect more from Jane? No? Well maybe you should. As a member of the community, should she not look out for out for and respect the people around her?
Not so many years ago, someone would have been considered rude if they did not hold the door for another. Why this has changed, I do not know, but nonetheless, it has. We no longer expect, but rather are surprised to receive this once-common courtesy.
Fortunately, people are not impassive to interruptions by cell-phones and pagers. People still get indignant when someone ignores them for a phone, or disturbs their movie with a page. However, this too is gaining acceptance. Fewer people voice their displeasure with others, which easily leads to the misconception that there is no displeasure.
This trend can and must be reversed. When something displeases you, let it be known. You don?t have to bite the offender?s head off; a frown could be sufficient. More importantly, express your pleasure when something pleases you. Countless studies have shown that positive reinforcement works better than negative. A simple ?thank you? can go a long way. Most importantly, set an example with your own actions. Please, keep this in mind as you go through you day; maybe someone will get a hint from your actions.
--Does anyone have any thoughts on this topic, or suggestions on how to better my speech?
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