I am tired of people who say, "Please don't take offense BUT...," and then go right ahead and say the thing that they KNOW will offend you.
And, what happens if you do take offense, if you stand-up for yourself and say, "Hey, that was really mean. You hurt me." ? Well then, you are accused of being reactive, fragile, or overly sensitive while they portray themselves as the hapless, misunderstood victim who was "just being honest."
These people don't play fair in relationships. They want to be able to air their hostility towards others without consequence. "Don't be mad at me, BUT...(this is what I really think about you)."
Interestingly enough, these people seem to be completely unaware of their behavior. They often go on and on about the lack of kindness in society today, about how impolite and rude other people are.
Look, if you want to tell people the negative things you really think about them, then you'd better be brave enough to face their hurt feelings about it.
The thing that is missing from society today is the art of silence. We now have a society in which everyone feels that it is their right to express how disgruntled and unhappy they are about everything from waiting in line at a store to the little quirks they find disagreeable in their friends and loved ones. No one considers it a duty to keep his nasty opinions about others to himself.
Politeness is simply this: consideration for the feelings of others.
Politeness, peacefulness, kindness, integrity--these don't begin with the other, they begin with YOU.
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