What the hell is wrong with people?

Posted By: Peter DavidPosted On:

So Nancy Reagan passed away and naturally Conservatives took the opportunity to bash Michelle Obama, of all people. See?

But then I found that liberals are likewise being dìçkš, saying all manner of vicious things about Nancy Reagan and, of course, her husband.

I’m sorry: what the hëll has happened to this country?

When I was growing up there was an old saying: “You don’t speak ill of the dead.” I always assumed there were two reasons for that. First, the dead can’t defend themselves, so it isn’t sporting. And second, you’re going to hurt the feelings of the family at a time when they’re in mourning.

Whatever happened to that attitude? Whatever happened to simple, gøddámņëd consideration? Why in God’s name have we turned into a country of ignorant shites who don’t care about anyone or anything except themselves? Who will take any opportunity to spout off at length about things they know nothing about, and consider the idea of hurting each other to be some manner of recreational pastime?

Is there any chance that this country is going to reclaim its conscience?

PAD

25 comments on “What the hell is wrong with people?”

  1. I don’t think anything happened to that attitude, per se.

    Opinions are more public and more immediately stated ‘aloud’. Plenty of folks who didn’t see that attitude as important or relevant didn’t think so before, we just weren’t all exposed to them, and/or even if we were, they were not encouraged to make known their stances on all things at all times.

    This may be the way in which it has affected those who do keep with the attitude after a fashion: then there’s something to respond to, which creates a different situation with regard to commenting or not. I think that may be the only effect there has been on the attitude and those who kept it.

    Similarly, once upon a time, the chances that your opinion on the deceased would reach the family of a public figure were generally nil (with, of course, obvious exceptions for those actually close to them in some way). That has changed drastically, so what was once either an idle or private thought, or a not-too-widely disseminated opinion is now broadcast in many cases.

    Or, tl;dr–I think you just didn’t hear from the people who did this before, but I believe they were around all the same.

  4. I was never a big fan of the Reagans, but I wouldn’t say ‘Good riddance!’ now that they’re gone. There was no mistaking their love for each other, and if there is an afterlife, I hope they get to spend it together now.

  5. In answer to your last question–IMHO, no. These people were raised with a warped set of ethics that centers on fear, selfishness, and above all, contempt for anything they don’t understand…..which is quite a lot. It’s sad, but these people do not seem to want to think critically (or at all), and would rather just name-call than empathize.

    1. When you say “these people”, i do hope you’re not just referring to one side of the political coin – there are people who are nominally “on my side” who are just as bad as “the other side”.

  6. Is there any chance that this country is going to reclaim its conscience?

    I doubt it.

    It’s not just political hatespeech, either – David Bowie was hardly cold before people were attacking him for all sorts of things.

    Scalia was hardly dead before people began blaming Obama/Hillary/The New World Order/whoever for his murder.

  7. I hope it’s just that whereas before people would just mutter stupid things under their breath, witnessed only by family members and the cat, now they advertise their ignorance and poor breeding for all the world to see.

    So it’s not that we have more people who are awful, it’s just that we are more aware of them.

    I hope that’s it anyway. But it’s also possible that social media has gievn us a lot of people who actually believe that it’s their duty to give their opinion on every subject and somehow, someway, the simple wisdom of common decency managed to evade them.

    And if I’m honest I have to admit a secret delight in seeing folks who I disagree with openly announce their rotten personalities to the world. It doesn’t automatically invalidate their positions, true, but it makes me happy to not have them on my side.

  9. “But then I found that liberals are likewise being dìçkš, saying all manner of vicious things about Nancy Reagan and, of course, her husband.”

    Sorry, Peter, but there’s no “likewise” here. Yes, conservative dìçkš are attacking Michele Obama — who is not dead. Meanwhile, liberal dìçkš ARE attacking Nancy Reagan, who IS dead — and her dead husband, too. Equivalency not found.

    But your points about simple consideration are spot on. On the Internet, everyone knows when you’re being a dìçk — but nobody seems to care.

    1. I suppose you’re right. What the Conservatives are doing is far worse, because both Michelle and Barack are around to be on the receiving end of their attacks while Nancy and Ronald Reagan are both beyond the ability to be hurt.

      PAD

    2. From Merriam-Webster:

      1: in like manner; similarly
      2: in addition
      3: similarly so with me

      “Likewise” denotes similarity, not necessarily equivalency. I think there is enough grounds to call the situations similar.

  10. Sometime around the turn of the century, I’d say. Not that there weren’t nasty people before, but that’s about when it seemed to become the default setting.

  11. I agree that one should of course show respect for the dead and consideration for their families. I have heard the opinion expressed, however, that if one had little or no respect for the person in life, then one is not obligated to change their tune when that individual dies. One would think that they could hold their comments out of simple decency, though.

  12. When? Don’t know.

    But i am informed by those who usually know such things that Harold Grey did an “Annie” strip showing Warbucks dancing on FDR’s grave.

  13. And not just our culture going to pieces. Remember when people in Britain were reportedly singing ‘Ding-dong, the witch is dead” upon hearing of Thatcher’s demise? I wasn’t crazy about her, but I can remember when that sort of dreadful show of bad manners would not have been tolerated. Not a good sign.

    1. Actually, from what i’ve read/heard, that’s not THAT unusual for the Brits.

      Remember – most British newspapers, historically, have been closer to the NY Daily News then the NY Times – their society is rather more outspoken in a lot of ways than ours.

  14. I am not sure I agree with your premise. People use to mutter under their breath or even tell a few friends but that is where it stopped. The general public only had a few distribution channels for consuming information (radio, TV, newspapers, magazines).

    Now sharing information is so much easier. It used to be responsible journalists would inform the reader/listener that someone died and write something objective about their life, and if they were insulting, an editor would stop it before being published/aired.

    Now every idiot with a keyboard has a say and the filter is gone and even the pretense of civility is gone.

    Manners seem to be a thing of the past. The difference is that only people in their 40’s and up seem to understand that. Those born into this new age of information know no other way of life.

  15. Because everywhere is so litigious now that everyone is scared to death of speaking ill of people while they’re still alive, lest they get sued into oblivion. Whereas once they’re dead, people are free to say what they really think?

  16. Is there any chance that this country is going to reclaim its conscience?

    Well, a black man got sucker punched and then immediately handcuffed at a Trump rally last night, with the áššhølë who threw the punch then saying that he deserved it and that if there’s a next time they might have to kill him.

    So, no.

    The perp has apparently now been arrested and charged.

    But still, no.

  17. No one even listens to each other anymore. It’s like instead of being interested and stimulated by someone who has a different opinion, there’s a need to shout the other person down. It’s pretty sad.

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