Fewer people have things to smile about. Prices are up. Wages are down. Crime is up. Bills still need to be paid and the economy is slipping down the tubes. And having worked retail now myself prior to and during the Pandemic as well as immediately afterward. People have a tendency to treat the staff a lot worse as well.

Might be at least in part it having affected peoples people skills. But there are a shitload of other things that play into people’s moods as well.

That and I think a lot of people just stopped giving a fuck about the pretend politeness that we previously considered good manners and people skills. The expectation when asked “Hey. How are you doing today?” Is “Fine Thanks”. Fairly likely you don’t actually give a fuck how the person is doing or about their personal problems or how they’re feeling that day. Politeness dictates however that we do the exchange of pleasantries. When neither party actually care. And depending on the location it’s done in. They may never see each other again anyway.

Though you maybe one of the strange handful of people who legitimately care. Odds are fairly likely you don’t. And don’t particularly want or care to listen to the Cashier, a fellow customer, or Stock Clerk talk about their problems, day, or life in general. As they’re a faceless interchangeable cog. There today and gone tomorrow. Replaced with yet another cog you may not even bother to learn anything but the face of. Before they too are gone.

Fewer people have things to smile about. Prices are up. Wages are down. Crime is up. Bills still need to be paid and the economy is slipping down the tubes. And having worked retail now myself prior to and during the Pandemic as well as immediately afterward. People have a tendency to treat the staff a lot worse as well.

Might be at least in part it having affected peoples people skills. But there are a shitload of other things that play into people’s moods as well.

That and I think a lot of people just stopped giving a fuck about the pretend politeness that we previously considered good manners and people skills. The expectation when asked “Hey. How are you doing today?” Is “Fine Thanks”. Fairly likely you don’t actually give a fuck how the person is doing or about their personal problems or how they’re feeling that day. Politeness dictates however that we do the exchange of pleasantries. When neither party actually care. And depending on the location it’s done in. They may never see each other again anyway.

Though you maybe one of the strange handful of people who legitimately care. Odds are fairly likely you don’t. And don’t particularly want or care to listen to the Cashier, a fellow customer, or Stock Clerk talk about their problems, day, or life in general. As they’re a faceless interchangeable cog. There today and gone tomorrow. Replaced with yet another cog you may not even bother to learn anything but the face of. Before they too are gone. You have your own problems and priorities to deal with.

Fewer people have things to smile about. Prices are up. Wages are down. Crime is up. Bills still need to be paid and the economy is slipping down the tubes. And having worked retail now myself prior to and during the Pandemic as well as immediately afterward. People have a tendency to treat the staff a lot worse as well.

Might be at least in part it having affected peoples people skills. But there are a shitload of other things that play into people’s moods as well.

That and I think a lot of people just stopped giving a fuck about the pretend politeness that we previously considered good manners and people skills. The expectation when asked “Hey. How are you doing today?” Is “Fine Thanks”. Fairly likely you don’t actually give a fuck how the person is doing or about their personal problems or how they’re feeling that day. Politeness dictates however that we do the exchange of pleasantries. When neither party actually care. And depending on the location it’s done in. They may never see each other again anyway.

Though you maybe one of the strange handful of people who legitimately care. Odds are fairly likely you don’t. And don’t particularly want or care to listen to the Cashier or Stock Clerk talk about their problems, day, or life in general. As they’re a faceless interchangeable cog. There today and gone tomorrow. Replaced with yet another cog you may not even bother to learn anything but the face of. Before they too are gone. You have your own problems and priorities to deal with.