Friday, July 5, 2019

I Agree with Anne Frank, However, People Can Also Be.......

Like Anne Frank, one of my core beliefs is that people are really good at heart. However, with that said, I also observe more and more that people are really insensitive, inconsiderate and downright rude. At this writing, I am not sure if it has always been that way or if I just started recently noticing it more. It could be a combination of both along with the fact that we are exposed to so much more due to technology and social media.

For example, I cannot understand why an entire neighborhood has to be subjected to loud blaring music coming out of the backyard or car of one individual. Not only is it loud but it is played for hours on end and into the late evening hours. It is played with absolutely no regard for anyone else in the surrounding area. Everyone in the neighborhood regardless of if he/she appreciates the type of music being played or not becomes a prisoner and forced to endure the noise pollution. In some instances, the authorities have to be called in order for the volume to be lowered or the music being shut off altogether at midnight. I'm not sure if this an issue that suburbanites face, but it is common in the cities and urban areas.

Another example of some being totally inconsiderate are those who double park in the middle of the street and take their sweet time to get out of the way. Some are arrogant enough to hold conversations with people as traffic builds and if by chance you blow your horn or say something for them to get out of the way, they now get an attitude or angry. It is absolutely ridiculous.

While I'm speaking about drivers, I also notice that they have become more and more impatient on the road. Now I get it in terms of people sitting at traffic lights and not paying attention due to texting or fiddling with their phones; however, that is not everyone and the sounding of a car horn before the traffic light can even finish changing from red to green is not necessary. Drivers can barely get their foot off of the brake pedal and onto the accelerator before a horn is blowing behind them. All of this horn blowing is not necessary.

Since we just finished celebrating Independence Day, I'd be remiss not to mention the misuse of fireworks by our insensitive friends. Just last night (July 4, 2019) as I was driving home, someone threw lit firecrackers into the middle of the street into moving traffic (you could literally see the flames on the string of firecrackers, folks, some gas tanks are located underneath the car). Can you say stupid? I swerved around the lit devices. Again, for the life of me, I don't understand the fascination with hearing something go "pop" and in 2019 it is too easy to cause confusion between the sound of firecrackers popping and gunfire popping. Our more nefarious folks I'm sure have enough of a scheming sense to premeditate the sound of fireworks going off at the same time they are pulling the trigger on a gun. Needless to say that that example is of an extreme nature, but a possibility nonetheless.

At the end of the day, these are quality of life issues that really need to be addressed. If nothing else, some common sense and consideration for others ought to kick in. The problem is, they don't kick in and others have to suffer for the selfishness of I would say a few, but it is far too many than it ought to be. So let's be more mindful in terms of how our behavior impacts those around us. My examples in this post are just a few and I am sure that you can add to the list.

With all of that said, at the core, I still believe as Anne Frank believed that people really are good at heart.

You can learn more about me by visiting my website at marcamedley.com