Courtesy in public places

CEBU, Philippines - Many people these days seem to forget about displaying some manners when in public places. They are very loud in talking, as if they don’t notice the other people around. They don’t seem to care whether they are causing inconvenience or annoyance to others with their unguarded behavior.

It may be unintentional on their part. It’s true that sometimes people just get carried away with their giddy emotions. But they should really try their best to exercise some self-restraint, to show some degree of courtesy when in public places.

Young people are more likely to have such carefree behavior in public, especially when they’re in a group with their peers. They tend to get absorbed in one another’s company and become oblivious to their surroundings. They won’t even notice – or they just don’t care of – the disapproving stares of the older people around.

In times when their attention is called regarding their noise and chaos, their youthful rebelliousness emerges and they behave worse. Courtesy to elders is easily forgotten. Instead, these rowdy young people tend to challenge the limits of the old ones’ tolerance.

This kind of behavior among young people is so sad to watch. Courtesy is supposed to be basic in everyone’s social behavior. More so, young people are supposed to show some courtesy to their elders.

Some people say that this “loud” behavior of many young people today is actually their way of soliciting attention. But, if it is so, they might as well be noticed in a positive way. Improper behavior in public may still draw attention, all right; but it’s annoyance not good impression.

Everyone should exercise some degree of consideration when in public places. Different people are in different moods or mindsets, even when gathered in one place. Again, self-restraint is necessary in order to not inconvenience others or get into trouble.

The general expectation is for people to behave well when in public places. That’s the unspoken social agreement. When a person or group cannot seem to contain his or their feelings of exuberance or mischief, he or they should go elsewhere where his or their behavior will not disturb other people.

While a basic sense of courtesy or consideration is necessarily part one’s process of education, one does not have to wait to learn it at school. Teaching and learning it shall begin right at home. It is as much the responsibility of parents as of teachers. But most of all, the young person himself or herself has the greatest responsibility to learn it by himself.