For some reason, this younger ones think it is OK to be rude. Why, I do not know why. One reason I stopped being on twitter was the level of rudeness from the commentators. I do not mind getting into a great discussion and disagreeing with people, as long as those engaged are courteous. Politeness is no longer considered necessary or a virtue.
What has happened? The other problem seems to be hyper-criticism for those on line. Would a person who is a friend talk to another by attacking personal characteristics? I have been in conversations with other Catholics who have attacked each other so much that one loses track of the argument.
Why has discourse fallen to such levels? Partly, as I have written many times, that students are not taught logic or debate anymore. Part of it is a false idea of honesty, which means that a person believes that he has the right to be rude.
Part of it is a new aggression, a new barbarism, which created an atmosphere wherein people do not want to learn, but only score points, be "right", destroy the arguments of others, instead of listening and discussion.
Rudeness is not Christian. A Christian tries to understand another person, where "she is coming from..." and a Christian places a discussion into a context of respect and love.
And, unlike many Asian cultures, the young ones of the West no longer respect age or experience.
We need to teach manners and listening skills, debate and logic before all conversation comes to an end. The day that happens is the day the civilization may be declared "dead".One of the end products of rudeness is the lack of conversation, the proliferation of judgement, the inability to influence another by both discussions and example.
A civilization depends on rational communication. Part of the problem is that people are not talking to each other face to face. Tweets and texts create a false sense of "letting boundaries go".
The best discussions move into an understanding of mutual respect If one is in the habit of judging others too quickly or not asking questions, or merely pontificating on a subject
to be continued..
