Civility: It's Done Here, Buddy

It’s no secret that the economy has got everyone on edge. No matter where we go or who we surround ourselves with, we are constantly reminded that the going has gotten tough. Even as President Obama stimulates economic recovery packages in Washington, it remains to be seen how quickly and to what extent we as a nation will recover and stabilize. While the current economic crisis has affected many of us in ways we cannot control, it is worth noting that one area which individuals can control–our own civility–has taken a notable turn for the Done Here, Buddy.

Speaking from my own experience, BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) commuters need to be called out. They are, in my estimation, the worst group of public commuters I have ever seen. Just the other day, I literally stood in awe as a group of roughly seven to eight commuters boarded a train car without hesitation as they prevented a young woman from getting off the train.  Where has the civility gone, my friends? Some fundamental questions need to be asked of these commuters: 1) Why are you in such a hurry to get on the train when the train conductor clearly waits for all passengers to board? 2) Have you forgotten that, in this country, we allow people to exit a threshold prior to entering one? 3) Does your lack of respect for other people make you totally Done Here, Buddy?

BART Commuters, who, unlike their Chinese counterparts, do not suffer from extreme overpopulation, do suffer from a case of being totally done here.

Transportation is not the only area where we can see how “Done Here, Buddy” our society has become. Even professional athletes seem to be losing their Herculean austere and Phil Jackson(esque) composure.

Whoa, Serena. Did you just threaten to kill that helpless Line Judge?

You’re Done Here, Buddy.

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