Respect IS cool in 2012

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Today my beef is with the next generation, the tweens and teens of the 21^st century who are so concerned about ‘looking cool’ they lack the respect we were all raised to show when we were younger.  Perhaps if they could pull their nose out of their cell phone or iPod long enough they might once and awhile surprise us all with a kind, unselfish or even chivalrous act. 

What ever happened to holding the door open for a lady or saying thanks when someone holds the door open for you?  What ever happened to these simple words; excuse me, pardon me and may I?  I know it’s not all young people who are responsible for behaving this way but I do believe there are more young people forgetting to do these things than there are actually doing them.

When did it become ‘uncool’ to hold a door open for someone else or to say excuse me when you walk in front of someone at the grocery store?  Was it the same time the word sick developed a positive connotation?  I remember a time when sick used to mean your snot was yellow and your…you get the point, but now it’s a compliment.  Was it the same time kids stopped wearing their pants on their waist and started wearing them around their knees?  I’m not exactly sure when it happened but I have no problem saying it never should have.

Respect is all I am talking about and in the words of Aretha Franklin all you need is, “just a little bit”. Contrary to the belief of many tweens and teens today, you will not look any less ‘cool’ by saying thank you when someone helps you out or pardon me when you interrupt a conversation.  So please get your face out of your cell phone, take your hat off at the dinner table and show others the respect you think you are entitled to and you will be amazed at just how much more respect you will get in return. 

Respect is, after all, earned and not just given away.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.