Rude People

Lisa and I went to the Knox County Chorale Showcase held Tuesday night at Central High School. It was a concert featuring two musical numbers from each of the 12 high schools with chorale programs and included some wonderful music by hundreds of talented Knox County singers.

At the beginning of the event, Richard Mitchell, the K-12 Choral Music Specialist for Knox County, greeted us all and he outlined the etiquette for the evening. His requests were straightforward and very simple:

• Silence Your Cell phones
• Take crying babies to the lobby
• Don’t talk while the singers are performing
• No Flash Photography 
• No Videography

As soon as he finished making his speech, the first high school group (Bearden) began to perform and almost immediately three things happened:

• The cellphone of the lady seated in front of me began blaring.
• The two ladies right behind us began talking.
• Somewhere across the room, I heard someone’s camcorder power up as they began to record.

Fortunately, there were no crying babies.

Later, I heard a couple other cell phones go off. The one from the lady in front of me was particularly loud. It featured some obnoxious country tune with lots of guitar whang and base whump. As if the mere fact she hadn’t bothered to silence the phone wasn’t bad enough, she then had the audacity to answer the call!

As the ladies behind us kept chattering away, I’d occasionally shoot them a look. It would only deter them momentarily.

Clearly, Mr. Mitchell’s announcements didn’t apply to any of these folks.

My Question of the Day arises from all this rude behavior: Why are people so self-absorbed?

I’d like to say that parental rudeness was confined to this particular event last night but it’s not. You hear people conversing during a movie at the cinema; people cut you off in traffic (or refuse to use their turn indicators to let you know they’re coming over). Just last weekend at “My Fair Lady,” the stage manager specifically asked for people NOT to use flash photography.

So, the lights go down and what happens? You got it. Flash. Flash. Flash.

The announcement didn’t pertain to those folks either.

What’s particularly infuriating is that, in both examples – the chorus concert and the musical – the perpetrators were the ‘adults’ in the room. What message is that sending to our teens?

• Rules are okay, but they don’t have to apply to you.
• Listen ONLY when you want to.
• Your individual needs and wishes outweigh the needs and wishes of everyone else.

It’s a troubling thought. We want to hold professional educators accountable for teaching our kids. But the first lessons – and maybe the most important ones – are the ones they learn at home.

JG
03/15/12  

Question of the Day: Why are people so self-absorbed?

(Source: music.knoxschools.org)

Originally posted 3/15/2012