It is not that hard to say thank you. Most people in our society young or old, have forgotten that having manners is still a huge factor to being a decent human being. Yet everyday I see more and more people who just don't care about how they portray themselves to the world. Manners are something that still need to be taught for school, work, and life in general.

Most people are failing to use the words “please” and “thank you”. These are what are known as “the magic words” and what I see as basic manners. I see this more in young people the most. From children who get whatever they want because their parents don't want to deal with them, to teens who are rebellious and think they're just too good to be asking and thanking. But don't get me wrong, adults also forget these magic words. For instance when someone holds the door for you you say thank you. But almost every time I hold the door for someone they just walk right by without saying one word. I can’t be the only person who thinks it’s extremely rude to not say thank you, that person didn't HAVE to hold the door for you but they did out of the kindness of their heart. Another example is when someone demands something as if it’s their right to have whatever they want. Like when you ask a worker  for an extra of whatever you want at a restaurant. Although it’s their job you should still be saying please to be respectful. I believe that everyone should be teaching, and continuously using these basic manners.

Most people have lost any form of respect for each other but still expect respect back. I am a firm believer in “treat others the way you would want to be treated”, but to an extent. If someone is being polite to you the right thing to do is give them the same respect. But if someone is being very rude towards you I feel as though it is your choice how you interact with them. Something that I see often is once something doesn't go their way in any situation people get very hostile quickly. I understand that it is irritating when you don't get what you want but sometimes it's not the other person's fault. For instance when a shopper tries to use an expired coupon and the cashier tells them they can’t. The shopper always gets angry at the fact that their coupons are expired but the cashier can’t do anything about it. Another thing I see a lot is the amount of “friends” who talk about each other behind their backs. Since when did we talk about people who we have a friendship with? To me a friendship requires respect for each other. If you really see someone as a friend you don't talk about them. Respect is something that is not something people have for each other nowadays.

The lack of use of the words “excuse me”. I understand that everyone has a busy life but there's no reason to be pushing and shoving their way around. It’s one thing to slightly push someone to get through but it's another thing to almost rip an arm off just to get through. You could avoid both situations by just saying excuse me. One thing that I know will affect how someone will react to your “excuse me” is your tone of voice. If you say it politely there's a big chance the person will move for you but, if you say it like your annoyed there’s a chance they will look at you like you're crazy. I know some people think that everyone is in their way and they don't feel the need to say excuse me but that's not the case. It all comes down to being respectful. I feel like everyone should still say “excuse me” when they need to get something or somewhere and someone is blocking.

I believe that basic manners should still be taught and put into use. People should portray the same amount of respect they would want from others. People should still be saying “excuse me” when they want to get through. Manners are a very important life skill to have in our day to day life.