Why are teens and young adults so rude in DC metro?

[Anonymous]

OP here, I am glad to hear I am not the only one noticing this behavior. I am sad some racist decides to post insults. Hopefully that comment will be removed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is just the way people act in DC. I am an army brat and have yet to find an area filled with so many superficial unhappy angry people - trying to come off as perfect and happy. Look around? What is to actually like around here. You can't much more self-absorbed than the DC Metro area.

Quote of the year! Leaving the city is also a breath of fresh air.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in DC and went to a DC private.

I was rude, I was always in a rush, I never made eye contact, I was impatient, etc.

In my 20's I was visiting friends in the South and they were like "chill" you are so rude, you need to slow down. Somebody said "good morning" to me and I said "do I know you"... I just never had anybody say Good morning if I did not know them.

I was taught to walk like I was confident, don't make eye contact, don't talk to strangers and always be aware of who was around you.

We walked on the left and pushed pass the slow lane on the right, if you stood to the left we said, move to the right.

I am so glad my friend pointed out how rude I was and I made an effort to change.

My parents were not like this, I think I just watched and learned.

Did I post this??

I have the exact same experience, but I went to public school here. A "W" school. I moved to Charlotte after college for work and it was very eye opening. I all of a sudden became so self aware about how rude I may have been perceived by others. It's not that I was a horrible person. I spent weekends volunteering on my own initiative, I was a good kid and didn't get into trouble, I did well in high school and college. But I was just as you described. It wasn't until my southern boyfriend started commenting on how fast I walked and how fast I spoke with no small talk and just a "cut to the chase" attitude that I realized how different the vibe where I grew up was.

It's not that we didn't care about others, but people here just don't interact with strangers. Period.

I'm from DC too, went to public schools, and since have lived in the midwest and on the west coast as well as in NYC. I think a lot of it is about Mid-Atlantic/East Coast fast-paced efficiency-oriented culture. We are not superficially nice here and we move fast. It does not mean we should be mean, rude, insulting others, etc., but I am way nicer and have mellowed so much from my high school days. Also, I don't know if this is still true (though I imagine it does) but when I was growing up here there was definitely something positively associated with being or acting hard.

[Anonymous]

I'd say probably because they're teens and adolescence isn't exactly a time in life that is commonly associated with things like manners and respect - if anything adolescence is a time in life that is infamous for defiance and insolence.

[Anonymous]

Well I find that the boys from Gonzaga are super polite and kind. Must be the Catholic schooling.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is just the way people act in DC. I am an army brat and have yet to find an area filled with so many superficial unhappy angry people - trying to come off as perfect and happy. Look around? What is to actually like around here. You can't much more self-absorbed than the DC Metro area.

Quote of the year! Leaving the city is also a breath of fresh air.

No it's not. Went to Luray with out of town visitors over the weekend, then we went for brunch in a small family place in that tiny town next to it. A rude bitch of about 12 years old was banging on a bathroom door continuously without pausing for the 2 min it took me to finish the business. I mean who the hell does that? Apparently this small town southern belle does...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is just the way people act in DC. I am an army brat and have yet to find an area filled with so many superficial unhappy angry people - trying to come off as perfect and happy. Look around? What is to actually like around here. You can't much more self-absorbed than the DC Metro area.

This. Exactly. It didn't use to be this way when I would come to DC and visit, but something has changed in the past 15 years or so. Sadly, now, I live here.

[Anonymous]

Because parents miss the boat to correct their child's rude and inappropriate behavior because they want to let them "express themselves". Then they try to pretend it was purposeful and they enjoy having the little contrarian asshole around.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is just the way people act in DC. I am an army brat and have yet to find an area filled with so many superficial unhappy angry people - trying to come off as perfect and happy. Look around? What is to actually like around here. You can't much more self-absorbed than the DC Metro area.

Quote of the year! Leaving the city is also a breath of fresh air.

No it's not. Went to Luray with out of town visitors over the weekend, then we went for brunch in a small family place in that tiny town next to it. A rude bitch of about 12 years old was banging on a bathroom door continuously without pausing for the 2 min it took me to finish the business. I mean who the hell does that? Apparently this small town southern belle does...

So one child needing to use the bathroom in Luray made you decide that everyone outside of the city is worse? Okay then.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is just the way people act in DC. I am an army brat and have yet to find an area filled with so many superficial unhappy angry people - trying to come off as perfect and happy. Look around? What is to actually like around here. You can't much more self-absorbed than the DC Metro area.

Quote of the year! Leaving the city is also a breath of fresh air.

No it's not. Went to Luray with out of town visitors over the weekend, then we went for brunch in a small family place in that tiny town next to it. A rude bitch of about 12 years old was banging on a bathroom door continuously without pausing for the 2 min it took me to finish the business. I mean who the hell does that? Apparently this small town southern belle does...

She was probably from Bethesda.

[Anonymous]

Funny, im a former new yorker and find people here to be pleasant. I started nodding or saying good morning to strangers. I stop and help tourists who look lost on metro to offer help... Maybe it's where i live. I do see bad elements congregating at metro stations, and the outlandish behavior of teens especially on public transport. They are just ignorant. But these elements are the minority... Of all races, in my opinion and experience.

[Anonymous]

It's not a race or class thing. It's a teen thing.

Signed,
high school teacher