Have over 60s forgotten this?

The other day I was in the busy supermarket carpark, looking for a spot, as you do. I saw one but it had a shopping trolley in it from a shopper who ditched it. I parked my car for a moment in front of the park while I shifted the trolley, but not before I had a man shaking his head at me and another lady giving an audible grunt my way! It wasn’t my trolley, and I was doing what anyone else would. This minor annoyance was only multiplied when I walked into the supermarket and a rude lady in her 60s reached over my hand as I tried to grab a basket. She couldn’t wait the three seconds for me to get one. I couldn’t believe it.

I then went to bag up some cherries and there was a woman grabbing them with her hands and taking samples. She made me feel so appalled that I grabbed a plastic bag and turned it inside out as I touched the cherries, just to show her what was acceptable etiquette. She was too busy chewing her cherries to notice.

This is just one example of the many I can think of about how rude the older generation is getting. Some say it is the younger generations we need to worry about – you hear, “they have no manners” “they’re so rude” – but it is us. For a generation of people who have lived lives full of experiences and have seen it all, we sure don’t like to show it. We are a grumpy, intolerant bunch at the best of times, and I’m just going to say it: we’re a group of know-it-alls. The woman who was bagging her cherries with her hands probably didn’t have a care in the world for the other people who would come by next, and why should she? She knew better and was owed something…she had every right! She was old! A few months ago, I saw a woman at the corner store slam her groceries down and get incredibly angry at the attendant, who was just doing his job. She was in a terrible mood and was going on about how the prices had changed. Maybe she was having a bad day, but that is no excuse to be rude and horrid.

I’ve been grumpy from time to time but I’d never take it out on innocent strangers. Us over 60s are always so quick to judge others but we hardly take a look at our own behaviour. I love the feeling of making someone smile and do not take pleasure in hurting someone in anyway, though I can’t talk for everyone. I genuinely believe some seniors have forgotten how to be kind and how to treat others how they would like to be treated. The world owes you nothing just because you’ve been living for 60, 70, 80 years. Rather, you owe it to this world to spread some sunshine and happiness instead of grumbling and feeling sorry for yourself. They don’t call our generation grumpy old men and women for no reason….

What do you think? Do you agree with this writer? Have we forgotten how to treat others? Tell us below.