Rudeness Has Become the Norm in Our Society

By Neil Cavuto

Published May 19, 2015

So I'm meeting with this guy today, and the whole time I'm talking, he's rifling through his BlackBerry.

It's driving me nuts.

Now don't get me wrong. He seems to hear everything I'm saying, even throws in an obligatory "right, right," to confirm he's comprehending me.

But the whole time he's checking his messages, and to add insult to injury, returning them... as he's talking to me. I guess I'd be more shocked if this didn't happen so often. Unfortunately it does... with me... with everybody.

Look, I have nothing against gadgets. I love gadgets. But I love my boss more. I would never even think of making a one-on-one meeting with him, a one-on-one-on-one meeting that included my BlackBerry or some other paging device. Yet I've talked to bosses who don't much care. And workers who care even less. And that's what troubles me.

It's getting OK to be rude. In fact, in a lot of places, you're more highly regarded because you're more highly distracted. That's fine. Here's what isn't. When your pounding on these things at restaurants. Or kids are yapping on these things at movies. It's as if our entire culture has forgotten what it means to listen.

All I know is my own boss is a pretty busy guy, yet when I'm with him, for whatever time I'm with him, it's me. Just me. Just little old me. I figure, if he can show some class. The least I can do is the same.

Watch Neil Cavuto weekdays at 4 p.m. ET on "Your World with Cavuto" and send your comments to cavuto@foxnews.com

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https://www.foxnews.com/story/rudeness-has-become-the-norm-in-our-society