The deterioration of American society

aephi alum · #1 08-17-2003, 07:07 PM

The other day I went with my family into NYC, went out to dinner, and attended a concert at Lincoln Center... and it struck me once again just how much our society has deteriorated.

1. The last note of the piece had scarcely died when several people booked it up the aisles and out of the hall - both before intermission and at the end of the concert. They didn't even bother to applaud, showed no respect for the performers, just whooooosh! (Well, they missed an encore

)

2. Before the start of the concert, the message "Please turn off your cell phone and pager" was projected on the front wall. The very fact that this message had to be posted speaks volumes. As it was, some idiot's cell phone went off mid-concerto.

3. I could not believe the way people were dressed! T-shirts, shorts, jeans, sneakers etc. This was true both at the restaurant and at the concert. Even older people were wearing outfits more appropriate for the beach or the gym than for the concert hall.

It wasn't all that long ago that going to the office without a shirt and tie was unheard of and women were turned away from restaurants for wearing pants rather than a skirt. At this rate, it won't be long before people start routinely showing up to weddings and funerals in jeans and whatever T-shirt from the laundry pile was the least stained.

Thrillhouse · #2 08-17-2003, 07:37 PM

The cell phone thing is annoying. Its distracting when you hear a ring in the middle of a show or movie.

I do like leaving early sometimes to beat the traffic though... but only at large events like footballs games and stuff like that.

swissmiss04 · #3 08-17-2003, 07:40 PM

I agree. People used to dress up to go anywhere other than the gas station. I can even remember when my mom wouldn't go anywhere w/o hair,nails, and make-up done. I'm a music major and I'm required to go to 20 concerts per year to fulfill my convo requirement. I'm amazed the number of shabbily dressed people who come when we have "big name" people performing. Sure maybe they gotta be there for a class or whatever, but would it kill them to wear khakis??? And manners in general have deteriorated too. I feel sorry for the generation that's slightly older than me (late 20s-early 40s) because they definitely saw the decline of civility.

etahannah · #4 08-17-2003, 07:55 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by aephi alum
3. I could not believe the way people were dressed! T-shirts, shorts, jeans, sneakers etc. This was true both at the restaurant and at the concert. Even older people were wearing outfits more appropriate for the beach or the gym than for the concert hall.

i completely agree!! since when was this EVER appropiate?

Delta Gamma holds a very prestigious values and ethics speech each year and this yr we had former president ford come speak. we (of course) were all dressed appropiately, but some of the people that showed up (the lecture was open to the public) to hear his lecture were dressed horribly! jeans and teeshirts for that too. (the secret service men were dressed nice and were super HOT HOT HOT!! yum yum)

i have been to many shows and events where people just showed up in jeans and a teeshirt and their lawnmowing shoes when a nice suit would have been much more appropiate!!!

have some class and look appropiate!!

eta: i would be so embarrassed in nonappropiate crappy clothes that i would feel so uncomfortable that i would have to leave

***dances an appropiate dance***

MeLikey · #5 08-17-2003, 08:04 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Thrillhouse

Quote:

The cell phone thing is annoying. Its distracting when you hear a ring in the middle of a show or movie.

Or how about when someone actually answers the cell phone and continues to talk during the movie. OR better yet how about when this guy's cell rang and he carried on his conversation during my GRADUATION?! He was up on the side of the auditorium, and I actually watched him pace back and forth on his cell.

valkyrie · #6 08-17-2003, 09:53 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by aephi alum
It wasn't all that long ago that going to the office without a shirt and tie was unheard of and women were turned away from restaurants for wearing pants rather than a skirt.

I have to say that I am glad that those days are over.

33girl · #7 08-17-2003, 10:51 PM

My grandma used to get dressed up to go to the DOCTOR - even if she was sick, the thought of going to the doctor in her old housedress was more than she could bear! That's a little excessive, but I don't know why people look like slobs at the theater and such. I'm not saying we should go back to the white gloves days, but there are ways to look nice and still be comfortable...elastic waist dress pants and a nice sweater, or a loose dress would work. It's really MORE comfortable than jeans. I think people who wear jeans to the theater and such still think it's the 60's and they're making some kind of big statement...little do they realize that all the people who actually made those big statements are now probably wearing $12,000 Chanel suits.

As for guys, you can wear a collarless shirt and khakis...again no less comfy than jeans.

I think that all cellphones should be left at the door when attending a movie or any sort of live performance...those who do not comply have the phone taken from them.

Rudey · #8 08-17-2003, 10:53 PM

So America has deteriorated because of corporate casual? This is just a ridiculous statement.

-Rudey
--BOO! Shame on you! BOOOOOOOO!

33girl · #9 08-17-2003, 11:05 PM

no Rudey...at some businesses, what is considered appropriate "business casual" is just as stringent as the suit and tie days. What we are talking about is people looking like shit when they go someplace that is supposed to be a special occasion.

smiley21 · #10 08-17-2003, 11:12 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Rudey
So America has deteriorated because of corporate casual? This is just a ridiculous statement.

-Rudey
--BOO! Shame on you! BOOOOOOOO!

my dear rudey, it is because of the respect it shows (or doesnt show). not to say that one who wears casual doesnt have any respect. but people now care more about being comfortable than what their appearance is saying to people. one is taken more seriously when they are dressed nicely than someone who is casual. that is just they way it is. but america is just getting looser and looser with the appearance year by year.

back to the deterioration of America, i work at one of the most wealthiest areas of the jacksonville area. i hate being over there. one would think that these people would know a thing or two about being appropriate. the shopping center where i am working has one of the most disgusting parking lots i have ever seen. people are so arrogant to think that we employees are here to pick up after them. i find all kinds of things in the parking lot. like today, i found a half full bottle of wine in the grass with cups and papers everywhere. i even found dirty sneakers in the middle of the road. then when we cant get around to cleaning it, they have the nerve to complain that we are a dirty store. i mean honestly!!!!!!!!!!! for rich people, they sure are slobs

Cluey · #11 08-17-2003, 11:21 PM

Manners are important! People annoy me to no end when they are so inconsiderate.

I thank my lucky stars every night that I went to college where manners were cherished. We still wore white gloves twice a year and have guidelines for appropriate dress. It also wasn't that long ago that Saturday night dinner was formal. I only wish they hadn't changed that...

Yes, I am a weirdo and people joke that my college is a "finishing school."

Munchkin03 · #12 08-17-2003, 11:29 PM

The way I see it:

I was raised with the utmost respect to deportment and presentation. My college wasn't like a finishing school--my HOUSEHOLD was. That said, I cannot fault or look down on anyone because they feel differently from the way I do about certain things. To each their own. If someone leaves the theater early, talks on their cell phone, or wears jeans to the symphony, it just emphasizes how much classier everyone else is.

I am also glad, however, that women can wear pants to work. Sometimes skirts just aren't practical!

33girl · #13 08-17-2003, 11:40 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Munchkin03
That said, I cannot fault or look down on anyone because they feel differently from the way I do about certain things. To each their own. If someone leaves the theater early, talks on their cell phone, or wears jeans to the symphony, it just emphasizes how much classier everyone else is.

I agree with you about the clothing. If people want to wear sweats to the opera and look like the Clampett clan, well, it's a free country. However, when it comes to cellphones going off in the movies or theater, it's past a point of whether it is "classy" or not. Their thoughtlessness is interfering with my ability to enjoy something that I looked forward to and paid good money (usually quite a bit of it) to enjoy. I feel the same about the people with screaming children who won't leave the theater or restaurant to get the kid to a chilled out state.

Rudey · #14 08-17-2003, 11:41 PM

Yes and I look at people who wear cheap $500 suits and girls who shop at Ann Taylor and think they're dressing up as a bunch of lower class blue collar types/

To look down on people like this is ridiculous. Honestly, if you think dressing up shows respect, then you're plain old ridiculous.

-Rudey
--Let's all talk about how going to Outback is a black tie affair now.

tinydancer · #15 08-17-2003, 11:46 PM

I have to agree that it is extremely rude to leave a cell phone on during a performance event. Last fall, I was in a play, and in spite of the announcement to turn off all cell phones and pagers, 3 different phones went off during the show. It not only disturbed the audience, but it pissed off the actors to the extreme!!!