Does that title get your attention and cause you to raise your eyebrows and wonder?   I am not talking about my heavenly Father’s world but society today.  The world I grew up in and the world today are diametrically opposite.  The world I grew up in and that of my parents and their parents are light-years apart.   Every generation’s world is different, but today, we seem to have reached an alarming depth of depravity and devolution.

Being disrespectful, inconsiderate, self-serving, and vitriolic is the new normal today. That makes me wonder if your society has evolved to the point that the “new norm” of behavior is one of being disrespectful and inconsiderate. 

I believe that there are multiplied thousands who are totally shocked when they are confronted with their own participation in that “new norm.” Allowing our interpersonal and other relations to decline to this point has a very high cost. 

If you will afford me the opportunity and a few minutes of your time, I would like to point out some of the ways that I believe we are practicing this “new norm” and the “penalty” or “repercussions” that result from such behavior. I write this with a broken heart for God’s people and our nation and with a deep sense of shame that I, too, have been guilty at times.

LET ME EXPLAIN:

• SOCIAL MEDIA

I have found that on Facebook alone, some think nothing of arbitrarily adding people to groups without their permission or asking if they would like to join or participate in that group.  Others, with regularity, post links and other items to people’s walls without first asking the wall owner their opinion or desire to have that link or post there. 

I am not referring to things like wishing someone a happy birthday or anniversary or other innocuous posts of normal social interaction. Vitriolic, vulgar posts and adding people to groups without their permission are, in my view, disrespectful and inconsiderate. 

That is a presumption or assumption of a right on the part of the individual committing those actions to do whatever they desire, irrespective of the feelings or desires of the other person.  It is virtually an expression of “I know what is best for you” or “I like this, so should you.”

• INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS.

It appears that some are unwilling to give someone the benefit of the doubt before rendering judgment.   They react without the facts to support their reactions and demonstrate incredible disrespect for that individual. 

Likewise, there is the demonstrated view that it is all about us.  How often have we observed that someone on the highway refuses to allow someone to merge in front of them when it would have been easy to do so?   At the checkout stand, when someone with only a couple of items is in line, and we have a basket full, we tend to press forward selfishly.   Sometimes, I feel prompted in my spirit to allow them to go in front of me, they might be able to complete what could have been an urgent shopping event, and get on with what their day held for them. 

Husbands and wives too often fail to consider their partner’s needs or even desires and focus on what is in it for them. This attitude comes from both directions on the job.  The manifestation of the mindset, “It is all about me,” is prevalent.   It takes precedence over what is best for the company or others around me, including the customer. 

In our financial obligations, we sometimes fail to take proactive steps to ensure that the debt is paid or explain why there is a delay. In the Church, I’ve noticed over the years that a large portion of the congregation feels that the purpose of the church is to meet their needs rather than fulfill the Great Commission or serve others.

In our personal spiritual relations with God, we sometimes demand or complain about not receiving what we ask for at the time we ask.   We fail to consider that God’s higher purpose might involve a delay or even a denial of our request.   

Those are some simple and often minor examples of demonstrations of disrespect and being inconsiderate.

It would be equivalent to entering someone’s home, propping your feet up on the coffee table, and saying, “Get me something to drink and something to eat.”   I could not imagine walking into a local congregation and taking over the service, declaring that “this is the way we are going to go without channeling it through properly God-assigned authority.” 

Can you imagine going into a factory and stopping the production of an item, presenting your item as the thing to be produced without the management agreeing that this is the way to go?    It would not only be rude, disrespectful, and inconsiderate, but it would also get you thrown out on your ear, and rightfully so.

This attitude suggests that you believe you have the right to hijack someone else’s social media page, church responsibility, home, or business. It suggests that you believe your ideas or opinions are the only ones that have significant validity and are, therefore, the right ones to be presented. 

It is disrespectful and inconsiderate.  Your ideas, links, posts, etc., may be honorable, right, truthful, and even good.   Still, it is disrespectful if they are presented without giving the proper respect and consideration to those to whom the space, the home, the business, or the church either belong or fall within their sphere of responsibility and authority.   However, it seems to have become the new norm in today’s society.

• We see this in our politicians when they disrespect the Constitution, the rule of law, and the will of the people. 
• We see this in business when the customer is treated as a necessary evil, the employee is a dispensable tool, and the boss or management is the enemy. 
• We see this in relationships when the other party’s desires, wishes, and feelings are relegated to a position of non-importance by our actions. 
• We see this in so many facets of life that it is incredibly alarming to me.

The cost of this is that we will produce and are producing a generation of people who see this as normal.   There is a growing lack of concern that what we want may interfere with another person’s objectives, thoughts, desires, ideas, or plans.   We develop a society where every man is for himself, and everyone becomes a law unto themselves.   When we reach that point, we invite anarchy and are a million miles from God’s Word, Will, and Way.

From an early age, I was taught to consider others above myself, and so were most of you. Most of us were taught, from our early years, to respect others, their space, property, and rights.    Today’s entitlement society has adopted a philosophy: “I deserve it.   You owe it to me, or I have a right to say and do whatever I please whenever and wherever I please.”  That results in chaos, a total lack of cooperation, and a complete disintegration of trust, which is essential for a functional society.

Regarding Social Media, I have experienced people continually adding me to groups without my permission or without asking me to consider the group. That is grossly disrespectful and inconsiderate.   No matter how often I ask that it not happen, it continues to happen, and some get angry when I do what I always do: Leave the Group! It may be one of the best and most noble groups in existence, but if you add me without first asking me if I’d like to participate, I consider that a gross demonstration of disrespect and reconsideration. My only defense is to immediately leave the group. 

I choose not to impose my views on another person’s wall and post a link, an article, or anything else without first asking them permission. I have requested that they review the information and see if they want it there. Doing otherwise is disrespectful and inconsiderate, not to mention incredibly rude, presumptuous, and arrogant. The information may be fabulous, but if it is done in a wrong way, it detracts from its value and purpose. 

I see this as a sign that those who function in this manner are presumptuous, self-willed, and demonstrating a lack of respect for others.  It is most definitely, in my view, incredibly inconsiderate.  That is a spiritual and moral problem that is becoming a societal problem. 

Although the perpetrator might not view such action as problematic, it is and should be addressed.  Only you can address it in your life.  Take it before God, and I believe that He will confirm what I am saying.

We need to work at being more respectful and considerate of others in our lives and interactions.  If I post something on Facebook, you are more than welcome to say whatever you please (as long as you are not vulgar or make personal attacks on my friends). 

I made it as a public statement, and it is fair game. However, posting links, adding to groups without asking, or making other types of posts other than the common social media interaction communications is inconsiderate, rude, and disrespectful. I will always endeavor not to do that to you and ask that you not do it to me or anyone else.  If I fail, I ask you to forgive me and remind me of this.

It is a flaw in our society that is costing us our ability to develop the type of society that Jesus designed and desired.  It is a preventative to achieving the kind of society where consideration, respect, and moral decency prevail. 

I believe that one of the reasons that we see many of the violent acts of today is the lack of respect and consideration for others.   Sadly, we have an entire generation that has witnessed this type of behavior from leaders, parents, and other segments of society. Hence, they see it as the norm and think nothing about conducting their life in that manner.  It is, to me, a key cog in the decline of the American and even World Civilization and something that, even in the small and seemingly insignificant areas, we should work to overcome.

Let’s all strive to be respectful and considerate.  We can disagree without being disrespectful and inconsiderate!   We can have robust and even animated discussions about our disagreements without either of those elements.  We can have an open dialogue that is both respectful and considerate.  In that atmosphere, I believe we can come to some concrete conclusions about the real problems and solutions that we face individually and collectively.

Thank you for allowing me to have my rant, and may God bless you. It is my prayer, and may God protect, defend, and guide this nation.