I sympathise. It's a symptom of societal breakdown, mental and moral depravity. Here I'm surrounded by disrespectful rude young people (and parents), neighbours yelling and screaming all night. It's a degradation in standards. And it's actually illegal in Australia, under Summary Offences Act 1988. e.g. Offensive language in a public place is a crime. Police don't care, they're the same, if not worse. Does your area have this?
So one day I told my neighbours off, politely whilst sitting down at my place (about another matter). I felt bad for their daughter being raised in a home with offensive and abusive language directed at her, parents and older brothers. To them however it's normal, inoffensive. Every second word is %!@bleep#!#. Lesson learnt: not my business, plus powerless to influence, out of my jurisdiction. I can merely complain to police.
At work however when I'm in seniority I'll tell off my juniors. That goes better, but not perfectly.
- 1st case was a new employee added to my team. He called me "Oi!", then by my nickname, and swore when speaking. I told him in a kind way to never speak to me this way. He asked "Why?" (with puppy eyes). I explained: Who do you think you're speaking to? Would you talk to your school teacher this way? Your parents? It's disrespectful, inappropriate, unprofessional language etc, plus it's illegal under the summary offences act, and that he's disrespecting not only me but himself, his dignity, degrading his identity. He felt bad and explained how his dad (police officer) talks to him all his life (constant cursing), family is a mess, suicide, trauma, abuse, etc. FWIW he changed and is a really cheerful kid but part of it was for show, to appease me (intimidated by me), and he talked behind my back to my equals about my rules. Not happy. In hindsight I should have fired him on day 1, or refused to work with him.
- 2nd case was a similar, I told another young fellow off politely saying the same as above but more along the lines of "Did you know that that kind of language is..." He also felt bad, started rambling and swearing more (about a topic, not offensive language directed at me), felt bad and now stupid for doing what I'd just told him not to. The boss fired him not long after (for other issues - "character issues").
- 3rd case my senior (pm/gm) locked 2 guys in a glass RFID FOB access only store room and verbally abused them, yelling "Who the !@#!@ did ____? !@#!@, !@#!@. Went on for ~10mins while me and 2 others stood outside waiting for a meeting to start. I mentioned it to his equal. No action was taken, nothing changed. Actually got a bit worse (more frequent verbal abuse, malicious etc). I quit. My colleague after 2-3 yrs of this now has mental health issues, traumatised, and is suing for workplace bullying. All colleagues have turned their backs him.
Outside of work, in public:
On semi-full public bus with elderly, retirees, grannies, and a gang of teens got in the back few rows swearing loudly, making sexual jokes about each other's sisters. It annoyed me so much.. ... ... What ticked me off though was when rubbish got hurled around the bus, rolling back and forth under people's seats, the corridor. A nuisance and trip hazard. I waited 10-15mins hoping they'd self-regulate and shut up. Nope, got worse. I really hoped the older people would tell them off. Nope, they sat quietly. I thought
surely the bus driver will stop the bus, tell them off and kick them off. Nope. So I stood up, objectively, pointed at the big noisy one and yelled at him to "Pick up his sh#$" (poor choice of words I know), have some respect, mentioning "trip hazard", to have respect for the bus, blah blah. He did. Seconds later his mates laughed and mocked him (made matters worse --I should have been fair and yelled at the group). A few mins later a few of them started heckling me, following me off the bus, called me names, trying to intimidate me. I ignored them. When getting off I asked the bus driver (limp 60 year old -- typical dad) "
WHY did you say nothing and do nothing? You should have kicked those brats off the bus!". He shrugged and looked down. Sigh...
Society is deaf, blind, and dumb. Scripture, morality, decency, isn't even on the radar.
Eph 5:4 - Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.
Eph 4:29 - Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
Col 3:8-10 - But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.
This world is upside down.
I suggest keeping to yourself unless you're the authority. For me I won't hire rotten people. If I see bad behaviour I'd warn them and then it would be immediate dismissal. And with that, I have to mind my own tongue also. Be above reproach.
Mt 12:36 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.
