IS IT JUST ME...

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…or are people less polite than they were 10 years ago? That’s the question I have been asking people lately. Turns out I am not alone

in noticing this downward societal trend.

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Originally I thought the lack of politeness was an affliction of the younger generation.

But I quickly realized it is not just young people being impolite.

Middle-aged people are not saying “please” or “thank you” to the barista at their local coffee shop and older citizens are not thanking the person who patiently holds the door for them at the shopping mall entrance.

When did it become okay not to be polite? How did we get here?

Perhaps the issue of how we got here doesn’t matter as much as what we’re going to do about it. I am tired of sitting back feeling like there is nothing I can do to fix it.

I’ve decided to invite like-minded individuals who are concerned about the lack of politeness in Canada to join a new campaign I have created called the “I am polite” campaign. The goal of the “I am polite” campaign is to encourage Canadians to be more polite, and to educate everyone on why politeness is so important.

We all have different ideas about what being polite really means.

Below are a few of my ideas.

Tips on being polite in the community:

• Thank people who help you

• Teach your children to thank people

• Hold the door (or the elevator) for people – especially those struggling to hold children or bags, or those who appear to be having a bad day

• Don’t use technology when you have a real live person in front of you

• Show up on time for events – don’t leave people waiting

Tips of being polite in business workplace:

• Thank people who assist you in any way

• Return phone calls, emails and texts within 2 business days

• Don’t use technology when you have a real live person in front of you

• Show up on time for appointments

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By Sarah Daviau . First Published in Island Gals Magazine . 2012 . Volume 2 . Issue 3 .

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