Words and Actions that Wound— Is your Mental Health at Risk?
No one likes being cut off in traffic, bumped into with a grocery cart or yelled at by a stranger. Yet it happens all the time – whether it happened to us, or if we think hard – perhaps we too did or said something to someone else that wasn’ t so nice. Long gone are the days when we were all taught that“ if you can’ t say something nice, don’ t say anything at all.” Society as a whole has taken a turn to the dark side, where public exchanges have often become hostile, online conversations combative, and everyday interactions are marked by impatience and disregard for one another. What once would have seemed like isolated acts of bad manners now feels like an all too frequent condition – an epidemic of rudeness.
How bad is it? According to a 2025 a Pew Research Center survey, 47 % of U. S. adults believe public behavior is ruder than pre-pandemic times. About a third of adults( 34 %) say they almost always or often see people behaving rudely when they go out in public, while 46 % see this sometimes. 73 % of people find rude behavior“ not unusual”, a significant increase from 61 % in 2012; 90 % of people admit to snubbing others in favor of their phone. Over 25 % of online comments contain insulting language or mockery.
Rudeness happens when someone behaves in a way that doesn’ t align with the way someone else might think is appropriate or civil, and the fact that many people don’ t share the same set of core values. Rudeness often stems from cluelessness, being inconsiderate, not thinking decisions through or simply not imagining that someone could be offended by something.
The concept of rudeness can involve many kinds of behaviors. Common scenarios cited include excessive foul language / cursing in public, playing loud music in public or quiet spaces, reckless driving and filming people without permission. Parenting decisions( such as ignoring out of control kids in public spaces) is often identified, as is the lack of any eye contact or greetings from customer service workers or having to wait for service while staff finish gossiping about a coworker or other customers. The examples are endless and usually generate strong opinions from those who have experienced them.
While rudeness may seem minor in comparison to larger social issues, its effect on mental health is real and long-lasting. Repeated exposure to disrespect, hostility and emotional aggression changes the way people think, feel and relate to one another. Over time, rudeness erodes our emotional strength,
42 • SEKY- Southeast Kentucky Life June 2026