You’re nearly late for class, your shoe is untied, and you’re hangry. You’re only steps away from a sigh of relief when BAM, a door clocks you straight in the face on the way into the lecture. Disappointed — but not surprised — you shuffle into the room and get on with your day, only to find another door in your face by lunchtime.
sound familiar? Welcome to gen-z culture
The older portion of Gen-Z is beginning to set foot into the real world, and with this may come serious consequences. On the one hand, we have set high standards on the grounds of equality and representation. We have rallied for what we believe in and voiced to older generations that we will not tolerate sexist, homophobic, or racist comments in any form. In a way, Gen-Zers present themselves as pioneers for a kinder society. But what about our basic manners? Do we value common courtesy to the same degree as previous generations? I’m afraid the answer is no, and I think it’s a huge problem.
From common to uncommon courtesies
Of course, our generation is not doomed. Plenty of young folks on campus still hold the door for those behind them, say please and thank you, and silence their phones in class. Still, I can’t help but notice how many people just don’t bother. I’ll be honest, the first dozen times I experienced a door in the face, my blood pressure soared. How do you not realize I’m right behind you? And while I don’t intend to excuse careless behaviors, I must remember they are just that. Careless. Not malicious, or spiteful. Just straight-up oblivious. So instead, I’ve started to imagine each door in my face like a scene in a sitcom. I’m sure Schmidt from New Girl would have a clever reaction, proclaiming something about the “youths” these days. Queue the laugh track, anybody?
little gestures make big waves
Admittedly, the inconvenience posed by having to avoid a door in the face is minuscule; but the social implications of such carelessness raise alarm bells. Whether we are on our phones or simply daydreaming, distracted walking proves to be not only annoying but dangerous. Unsafe pedestrian behavior, bumping into others, tripping, the list goes on. I care the most about your safety. Even so, I won’t neglect to mention that being aware of your surroundings will allow you to engage in small gestures of kindness like holding the door and showing gratitude to those who hold the door for you.
It may seem that in the grand scheme of things, the fading of traditional etiquette is a small fish to fry. Why should we care about an absent “thank you” when there are human rights infractions, wars overseas, and a housing crisis? Universal peace requires the foundation of harmony in tiny places. Sure, holding the door for a stranger will not change the world, but it might just improve theirs.
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