Being Courteous and Being Rude

We were at the Hospital yesterday to collect Ram's supply of repeat medicines for the month. We went early to try and avoid the crowd of patients collecting their medicines after seeing their doctors for the day. We were at the counter at about 8.15 am and there was already a small crowd, I presume waiting for repeat medicines as well . The TV was on with a morning talk show. The topic of discussion was the Readers Digest (RD) report on politeness and where each country they surveyed stands. Kuala Lumpur was ranked third from the bottom with Mumbai and Bucharest at the bottom. Interestingly, a majority of the people that the TV station interviewed live in the streets in Kuala Lumpur agreed with the report.

Although the RD survey covers only three areas i.e helping someone who dropped papers; opening of doors and holding it for others; sales persons saying 'thank you' after one makes purchases; it does provide an indication of how people generally act or react with other people, fellow human beings that is!!

To be at the bottom or almost to it means that people in Kuala Lumpur are a rude lot. Manners and courtesies are something alien? The general public interviewd live by the TV station seems to agree. Some of them even quoted incidences of rudeness and unmannered behaviours of some. Quite recently there was a TV clip showing rudeness of a young man who refused to offer his seat to the needy on a crowded LRT (a commuter train service) and this clip generated alot of discussions in the various media thereafter. That TV clip was meant to educate. What happened next? Life goes onnnnn.... The same behaviour goes onnnnn..... I commute by the LRT quite often and I see very few incidences of someone offering the needy a seat. Some, on seeing a needy standing closeby just pretend not to see, and worse still, pretend to sleep!!

In busy malls and walkways, everyone goes about unconcerned of others nearby. Many just push their way and 'bulldoze' through. On the other hand, those in the way refuse to give way. So who is to blame?

When I was growing up I was always taught and reminded to be courteous, to help others in need, to respect elders, and all other 'refined' behaviours. All these are not seen in the young nowadays. What has gone wrong? Notice the words 'taught and reminded' I used in the previous sentence. Perhaps thats the root cause. If so why? Is it due to the education system employed, parents not guiding their children correctly, or the time spent by parents on their growing up children are insufficient leaving them all the time with maids and/ or nurseries, or are there other underlying reasons. There cannot be just one reason. It is a result of a myriad of reasons. It goes to show that our values in life have changed. I see it as one that has evolved from a life of community to a life of self survival. It is now I this, I that, rather than We this, We that.... Manners, courtesy, helpfulness has slipped through our system in our daily pursuits of that 'what I can get for myself' objectives.

The media used to project, to tourists, images that we are friendly, always ready with a smile and so on. The above report says otherwise!! The media projection may be true say 10 or 15 years ago. Not now I think. We are no more like that. Generally everyone is so engrossed in one's own thing that the other person closeby is just another 'object' one have to contend with, not another person or human being.....!!

MKI Ramblings Unlimited'
Petaling Jaya