What would you change about modern society?
This quote from “The Shawshank Redemption” sums up my answer to this question today. (Fun fact—I toured the prison where that movie was filmed. I was in movie heaven!). Anyway, I think people are way too impatient these days. And I think that leads to a lot of hostility, aggression, and all-around hurt feelings.
I am very much guilty of this too, don’t get me wrong. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve been pulled over and ticketed because of speeding. I complain about the rude drivers in my city, but sometimes I get impatient and drive like them. My whole attitude being, just get out of my way! I’m sure that irritates those driving around me.
I don’t think we intentionally try to be impatient and hostile, but sometimes we get tired of things. I hear it in the voices of people who call my office sometimes. The phone tree where I work just sucks and sometimes I’m the 4th or 5th person that someone has been connected to when they call with a question. By the time they get to me, they’re irritated! Rightly so!
It really is a modern society problem I think. We are so used to instant gratification and getting what we want the moment we want it, that when that instantaneous response doesn’t happen, we get a little fluttery with our emotions.
That’s the problem. But would I change it? That would mean slowing things down and I don’t want that either. I grew up in the before-times. No internet, then dial-up internet…enough said. I don’t really want to go back to that. I do, however, want people to pack some patience when it comes to interacting with other people. Whether on the phone, or while driving, or especially in person. Tempers flare up with a quickness in person and that’s never a good thing.
As countless cops have said to me over the years, “let’s slow it down from now on, o.k.?”
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