Common Decency

Common decency....what a concept, one that I think is lost on most people. And I'm not talking about making a public spectacle of oneself (when drunk perhaps...) or the annoying habits that tick off the general public (e.g. singing out loud in an elevator, seriously, who does that?).  So let me indulge you in what I mean by this, lets start with the definition of decency...

decency [ˈdiːs^ənsɪ]

n pl -cies

1. (Sociology) conformity to the prevailing standards of propriety, morality, modesty, etc.

2. the quality of being decent

 

Basically, what this means to me, is common decency is the basic consideration of others that in part is ingrained in one's moral character. The Golden Rule, treat others as you would like to be treated.  Today's society is increasingly becoming more self-absorbed.  All about the here and now, what you want, meeting your own desires.  I'm all for about going after your heart's desires and getting what you want out of life.  But I think where people begin to miss the mark is when they do this at the expense of other people's feelings. Tact and discretion can go a long way. Since it is human tendency to think selfishly about one's own desires, let me phrase it like this, think about how you would feel if you were put in the same situation. I prefer to take a different spin at it though, think about how much more pleasant the world would be if people considered how their actions affected others.