How did we get so self-involved?

2old2play was created, in short, to avoid the Timmy's of the world, and to find friends online to game with in an adult setting. Making my way through daily life though, I realize that it isn't just XBL that we could use a break from. How do I bring 2o2p off the net and into "real life" and avoid all the ass clowns out there?

How we treat people that work in the service industry is a great example of how people are treated like Timmies treat us. While the person behind the counter at McDonald's or the local grocery store is paid to be there, they are not there to be treated without respect. Restaurant servers are another example. In general, these people are treated like crap. No "please", no "thank you", just demands and questions with the expectation for service and answers. For servers, people are cheap at tipping, and most that eat in a place where they get waited on have never waited a table in their lives. The person bringing your food to your table or washing your car is indeed another person, much like yourself. Feelings, ego, personality, thoughts and dreams, hopes and fears. We are all compiled from the same basic foundation, yet we value (or devalue) a person based upon what they do and the setting we're in.

Another example of our self-centered daily lives is something you can encounter in daily life. Walk down the sidewalk in a shopping area during lunch hour and you'll see what I'm talking about. People stride down the sidewalk at their own pace, not budging from their current path, even if you are walking the opposite direction on the edge of the curb. Most will make you step around them, or you just bump shoulders when there was plenty of space on the sidewalk for them to move to. It's a complete lack of consideration for another human being, and all it takes to make it better is one step out of the way. One step.

The same kind of mental oblivion is particularly noticeable in parking lots. Pedestrians mosey along, barely away that there are cars waiting for them to pass. Other drivers block out everything besides looking for the perfect parking space. Cars behind them might as well be in another galaxy, and they'll hold up 15 cars behind them so that they can park one spot closer to the door.

My last example is my favorite. Business executive who thinks that his job is really important. Wait, that's not quite right. Business executive that thinks he's incedibly important because of his job. This is the kind of person that treats everyone he encounters outside of work, family and friends like he is really even too important to be where he is. Getting gas, in line at Starbucks, in his car late for a meeting, at the airport waiting for a flight. This person is just too important and busy to do such menial tasks. Well, Mr. Business-suit-wearing-no-foam-soy-decaf-latte-sipping-bluetooth
-headset-talking-white-collar-worker-guy, I have news for you. You and your shit don't mean a thing to me. You're a person, and you're not very good at being that. More time on being human, less time on your Blueberry please. Thanks.

Don't even get me started on people with cell phones.

Why do we have to be so disrespectful? We're adults. We're all people. It doesn't take much time or effort to just be decent to each other. Perhaps if we start on 2o2p, and with the members here, we can take that out with us into the rest of the world. Saying one nice thing to a stranger every day is a hard challenge, but one that is completely realistic.

Oh, and just to up my post reading count, boobs.