Miss Manners

I've been musing over manners lately, or more accurately the lack of manners. I pride myself on being polite, I say please, thank you, excuse me, I wait my turn, I let people in when they want to change lanes, etc. But it seems to me like there is more rudeness around than ever. What causes this? I am exploring a theory I am calling the Mass Mentality. Let me explain. You're in your car, people are cutting others off, honking at each other, not allowing people in, etc. Take this group of people, meet them one on one in a social or business situation, where you are deemed "safe or acceptable to know" and these same people are probably very nice and polite. Why does the Mass Mentality take over when they don't know you?

The mass Mentality seems to turn regular nice people into animals. Are we packed in too close together? Are we too busy to be nice? Do people feel like if they are courteous to others that they are going to lose out, miss their turn, get left behind?

What does this mean, is it the way of the world these days, if you want to survive and get ahead, forego the manners? Is it a decline in society? Is it that protocol has changed and those of us who have been taught to be polite, are operating under obsolete standards? Is it ok to only be polite to those you know?

I really don't think it's ok.