We’re Out of Paper and Patience

From Pandemic to Pure Chaos: Have We Learned Anything?

Sick at home, I decided to peruse my old blogs, the ones that were deleted in the usual yearly purge of my website, as though cleansing the site would create new energy and better vibes. Of course, with last night being some special planetary alignment that I didn’t read long enough to share, everything is perfect now. Absolutely perfect. 

Or is it? To begin, looking at what I wrote in 2021, five years ago, I’m wondering to myself, have things improved, or are they worse? Read on, and we will discuss momentarily.

Regardless of your opinion on COVID-19, the reality is that our world is a different place than it was two years ago. Not wanting to dive into the politics, on masks, vaccines, and the like, I simply will share that I have noticed that daily routines and interactions are not what they used to be. Now, when I shop or leave the house, I go out of my way to go in the earlier hours when there are fewer people. It has nothing to do with being the first to get a deal, but simply with avoiding large groups and drama. 

I should bold the word drama. That's the big change for me. It seems people are in a rush, less considerate than before, and, frankly, too wrapped up in themselves and their stuff to be mindful of those around them. It's not just with shopping. One can see this out on the roads or even in the neighborhoods or communities where they reside. Across the board, this behavior is rampant. There is a reason why I avoid popular hiking trails on these perfect fall days. Between the selfie and dog brigades, good luck enjoying any sense of nature unless you truly do get off the beaten path. If you want to call people out for blocking the trail for their picture-perfect moment, be ready for an earful.

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Dining, Drama, and the Death of Decency

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In the past, I have written on such topics, so I don’t want to repeat myself. And yet, I had a reminder over the weekend when, for the first time in fifteen months, I went inside to eat at a local dining establishment. A place I frequented often prior to the pandemic was just what I was hankering for. Lo and behold, when I got inside, within twenty minutes, I was ready to run for the door. It wasn't necessarily the food that sent me running, but this same rude behavior that has carried over to everything and everywhere. It’s that same negativity that runs wild in the news and, at times, in our schools.

I watched couples come in, sit at the bar, and, without any sense of courtesy, demand that multiple televisions be switched to a specific football game even though most of the seats were taken and many eyes were fixated on the different screens. Next were comments about the need for an extra bottle and to make sure it's chilled for an already cold beer. Another person wanted the volume turned up because it was hard to hear the game in a crowded bar, while another lambasted their date, and they both were glued to their phones.

​The entire scene struck me as odd because I would think that, after months of being cooped up, people would be flexible when out and, at the very least, courteous with one another. Instead, it seems people, at least where I ate, were more demanding and needy. I don't know whether that’s the norm now, or if I happened to hit the jackpot. 

What has your experience been? Are people kinder and more understanding when you’re out, or have you seen this shift as well? 

It might not be fair for me to jump into this argument, as I’m currently living in Morocco, but when I’m back in the United States, I feel this is more of the same. We have so many people who are in it for themselves. I don’t want to blame our role models or the government, but look at the politics behind everything going on. There is no more fence-sitting because we have a leader without compassion for the everyday person, a man of the old energy, the old paradigm, a vestige of the 1980s mentality, and for that, we are all watching the sideshow, with many of us hoping for things to end. 

Recently, I was talking to a friend about such topics and the fact that, along the way, not only have many ignored compassion, but they also lack the integrity to be good and decent human beings. For certain, many will have a different working definition of what that precisely means, but come on, we all know right from wrong, how to play nice, and how to be present enough to take others into account. Or do we?

While I would love to spend this article asking why there are so many politicians in government who have caved to an egomaniac who continues to stir the pot for his personal means, doing that will make this more polarized and will take away the point that I’m just looking for people to be nice to one another. Politics aside, why is it so hard to see the other person in front of us as an equal, loving angel in disguise? 
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That’s a good question. Or am I getting too wu-wu by jumping into that type of framework? How about this, then? You tell me what you would do in this common scenario. We can keep it simple because it shows the lack of compassion and consideration many experience in daily life. 

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The Copier Test: A Mirror for Modern Humanity

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Pretend that at work, you share a photocopying machine with all of your coworkers. Let’s say thirty people to one copier for the sake of this example. As part of your job, you need to print things out daily, as do many of your coworkers. There are several boxes of paper put out every few days for printing. Often, people print what they need and go. 
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For those who print larger quantities, there is a population who continue to print what they need and go without bothering to restock the paper in the machine. While others will double-check both paper drawers before printing and afterwards, especially after larger jobs, to ensure the machine is ready for the next person. 

Let’s not forget the people who will print, rip open the paper, take out only what they need, and then leave the empty wrapping or wrappings either on top of the photocopier or nearby. The best look is when you come into the room: the wrappings are everywhere, including the empty boxes just left next to the copier, as though it’s someone else’s problem to clean everything.

What person are you? And what does this potentially say about you as a person, depending on how you use the copier? 

What if you are the person who makes a comment about this behavior? Is that wrong or against office etiquette? What does it mean if you do say something, but you get lectured for calling others out on their lack of professionalism? I know, lots of food for thought.

Just for fun, let’s pretend there is a paper jam. Are you the person who will try to fix it? Ask someone for help? Or turn off the machine and walk away as if nothing happened? 

Or even better, the toner needs to be replaced. How do you deal with the situation? Do you let someone know it needs to be replaced? Can you replace it? Or do you just ignore the error light and disappear into the nether again?

Maybe the best scenario, someone changes the toner, gets it all over the floor, and you watch the entire scene. Do you simply stay at your desk, pretending you didn’t see anything happen? Or are you the person who walks into the room, sees the mess on the floor, and immediately sets out to clean it so the ink doesn’t cause a lasting issue? 

Five years ago, I focused on common decency at a restaurant, but now it plays out right before my eyes, at a photocopier of all places. The central hub of many workplaces, and from my perspective, a deeper view into the minds of everyone. 

If people are so wrapped up in their personal dramas, in their little tasks, and they can’t pause long enough to think about the next person, what does that mean exactly? Sure, they are human, the fallible human who is here to learn and love. But why, my question is, are we unable to show enough empathy for others and consideration? 

Should we not be able to handle the burden of keeping a photocopier stocked, maintained, and running smoothly? What does that mean for our relationships with people we actually care about, our family dynamics, and everything we do? Some readers will have already put this article down and said it’s ridiculous. I’d say those are the same people I’m trying to reach to do better, to be nicer, to actually consider that there are other people in this world than them. When they understand this lesson, watch the change across the board. 

In the States, we are worried about the government, but maybe it’s the copiers we need to start with to really get things moving. What do you think?

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