I mean I had a great uncle who was murdered by the KKK back on the 1920s, so it's important to understand that "nice" as long been a bit of fiction and that certain people were always the target of meanness. But it does feel like we are regressing significantly from progress made.

Anonymous wrote:It's due to the internet. Anonymous posters get comfortable being mean to others. Probably carries over to non-internet, non-anonymous interactions.

This is my hypothesis.

Yes. People are stressed and are in survivalist mode.

More third places are being gone
More distrust in our institutions
More social ties being broken
More people staying in their homes
More people on screen and social media
More people not marrying and having kids
More wealth inequality

So yes, more people being meaner, our communal bonds are being eroded and we are not as trustful as before.

It's due to the internet. Anonymous posters get comfortable being mean to others. Probably carries over to non-internet, non-anonymous interactions.

Yes, its getting worse.
I used to believe most people are fundamentally good. I don't believe that anymore, after seeing and hearing the complete lack of empathy from so many. It goes beyond not caring, to actually enjoying other people hurting.

Anonymous wrote:Yes, and with current politics its perfectly acceptable to be a bully, if not encouraged.

This. Why aren't you saying it OP? It is the current political climate that encourages people to say/act whatever they want, instead of taking the classy approach and just shut up. Our President is the worse. Even his supporters know this.

I see it, too. I think there is a few reasons.
1. We have a man in the White House who is mean and doesn’t censor himself. This sets the tone.
2. Many, many people have lost jobs, livelihood, income, peace through no fault of their own.
3. Most of us are deeply concerned and anxious.

These make everyone snappy.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Only the first story is a sign of the times, OP.

I'm a foreigner waiting for my green card, and I am NOT traveling outside the US right now, because I don't need to. But I know plenty of foreigners working in the US who need to travel internationally for work, on diplomatic visas and other types of visas. They're not going to refuse to go just because they're afraid, that's not how it works! So yes, the employee has to go if they can't fulfill a job requirement.

Crazy parents at sports events have always existed.

Me again. To be clear, I was referring to the unfair detentions imposed on British, French, German citizens with legal paperwork or legal visa waivers, and no known history of any terrorist activities. Foreigners are legitimately worried right now when they cross a US border!!! But if you need to do so for work, you do it.

If you're referring to a US person who doesn't wish to travel internationally, then that's ridiculous. They're not going to be harassed abroad just because they're American.

This person was a foreigner with a green card. They were not white, but rather from a country that is on the visa ban list.

I do feel terrible. It was not even necessary for this person to go. I actually covered their work for them, which wasn't a problem at all.

Another thing -- we know a lot of federal workers. I keep running into people who are just don't care and don't feel bad. I was talking with a mom in a group of four other women. Our kids are good friends. She mentioned she and her husband were both caught up in the firings in conversation, wasn't fishing or anything just responding when people asked how you are. She walked off and every other woman in the group began crap talking her! Saying she was fishing for sympathy, talking about how lazy government workers are, this had to be done, etc.! Which is wild, because she really wasn't! She was very factual.

Yes, and with current politics its perfectly acceptable to be a bully, if not encouraged.

People have been getting consistently meaner since roughly 2013.

Anonymous wrote:Only the first story is a sign of the times, OP.

I'm a foreigner waiting for my green card, and I am NOT traveling outside the US right now, because I don't need to. But I know plenty of foreigners working in the US who need to travel internationally for work, on diplomatic visas and other types of visas. They're not going to refuse to go just because they're afraid, that's not how it works! So yes, the employee has to go if they can't fulfill a job requirement.

Crazy parents at sports events have always existed.

Me again. To be clear, I was referring to the unfair detentions imposed on British, French, German citizens with legal paperwork or legal visa waivers, and no known history of any terrorist activities. Foreigners are legitimately worried right now when they cross a US border!!! But if you need to do so for work, you do it.

If you're referring to a US person who doesn't wish to travel internationally, then that's ridiculous. They're not going to be harassed abroad just because they're American.

Only the first story is a sign of the times, OP.

I'm a foreigner waiting for my green card, and I am NOT traveling outside the US right now, because I don't need to. But I know plenty of foreigners working in the US who need to travel internationally for work, on diplomatic visas and other types of visas. They're not going to refuse to go just because they're afraid, that's not how it works! So yes, the employee has to go if they can't fulfill a job requirement.

Crazy parents at sports events have always existed.

Yes. People are getting meaner. It’s awful.

I don't know, but there is something weird in the air.

I volunteer with my church in a food pantry. We provide kind of a drive through food bag of groceries (staples) and families drive through. Sometimes we get lucky and get meat or seasonal fruits and veggies, but again, this is staples, canned food. Vegetables, beans, rice, cereal, powdered milk, etc.

I was telling my two neighbors (different houses in the cul-de-sac) about it when she asked me where I was heading with groceries leaving my house (I collect food and replenish the pantry with others). They were downright mean! Called people who seek charity leeches and lazy bums. They told me I was wasting my time trying to do this because "these illegals are getting kicked out and the rest of them are just trash anyway." I was shocked. I mean, we are, like, pretty well off. This is a neighborhood where homes run over 1.5 million in Fairfax.

Second story, I was at work, and we had a meeting with another colleague who said she was PIPing an employee who refused to fly internationally for a conference. Someone tried to explain why this person might be worried, and she blew it off and said she was being dramatic. I know this employee, worked with her, and she's wonderful! I log in today and see the employee is gone. I felt terrible.

Third story, my husband coaches a sports team and it's small kids. And two men got in a literal fist fight over soccer.

Is there something in the water? What is going on here?