The decline in politeness, particularly online, is a noted concern, affecting individual behavior and societal interactions. Users report feeling ruder and adopting harsher tones, even towards AI. This trend can lead to detrimental effects on personal well-being, including increased unhappiness and anger. Politeness can be defined in multiple ways, with etiquette being one aspect. Individuals are encouraged to recognize and adjust their behavior to mitigate the declining standards of courtesy.
Robert Heinlein's assertion from 1982 highlights that a dying culture exhibits personal rudeness, noting a significant loss of politeness and gentle manners, more telling than riots.
The prevalence of online communication and anonymity has contributed to a noticeable decline in politeness, affecting how people interact even in everyday situations.
The coarsening of language, even toward AI, detrimentally impacts personal well-being, fostering unhappiness, anger, and depression among individuals as they adopt less courteous behavior.
To counteract the broader trends in societal incivility, individual efforts to practice politeness—through simple gestures like saying 'please' and 'thank you'—are paramount.
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