If I had to guess, I think the general disappearance of good manners has something to do with how we’ve been conditioned to view each other: as things, not people. We see other people as things that can get us things. Maybe we have such little respect for one another because we have such little respect for ourselves. The commodification of the... See more

One last thought about Heinlein’s “dying culture” claim: Is it true that our culture is dying, given all the rudeness? And if so, are we too far gone to turn it around? On many days, things do look bleak, as online nastiness seems to become the dominant style. But my personal defense mechanism also aims to act as a countercultural force: I see... See more

We hate other people when latency becomes intolerable. As soon as a task is about speed, other humans feel like an irritating inconvenience. The Uber driver’s small talk annoys us. We wish we were in a Waymo. The cashier’s tip screen feels like a micro-ransom when all we want is a bottle of water. Elevator operators, switchboard attendants, bank... See more