On today’s Oprah Show (yes, I know, it was Oprah…don’t judge me, I had a headache and I can’t take anything since I am having surgery in less than 12 hours. Anyway, on today’s Oprah, the subject was just how rude are we.

Part of the show the audience was invited to take the following quiz. Well, how did you score?

1. Are you chronically late?

Yes
No

2. Have you ever typed an e-mail while talking on the phone?

Yes
No

3. Have you ever interrupted a face-to-face conversation to take a non-urgent cell phone call?

Yes
No

4. Have you gone through a supermarket 10-item express lane with more than 10 items?

Yes
No

5. While among friends or co-workers, have you yawned without covering your mouth?

Yes
No

6. Have you ever texted or talked on a cell phone in a movie theater?

Yes
No

7. Have you let your dog relieve himself on your neighbor’s lawn?

Yes
No

8. Have you ever cut in front of someone in line?

Yes
No

9. Have you ever stolen someone’s parking spot?

Yes
No

10. Have you ever let your child kick the back of the seat in front of him and not apologized to his victim?

Yes
No

11. Have you ever not RSVP’d to an event by the date requested?

Yes
No

12. Have you ever gossiped?

Yes
No

13. Have you ever taken someone else’s food or drink from the office refrigerator?

Yes
No

I will admit that I answered yes to only two of the above questions: #12 yes, I have gossiped. I’m not super proud of that but I will admit it is a fault of mine. # 2 I also answered yes but I will add that I only did this maybe two or three times. Honestly, I am just not that talented. I can scarcely walk and chew gum at the same time so what makes me think I can balnace a phone on my shoulder, two-finger type and email and carry on a thoughtful conversation. The few who had to be on the other end of the phone during my feeble attempts will tell you that I have no business doing that whatsoever!

So here we are, living in what has become a rude society; a society that seems to have no need for civility.Of course, because it is all about “me” we are rather annoyed that we must live and dwell with such rude people around us. But perhaps we are just as rude as the guy next to us. The rationalizations of a number of the audience members pretty much prove this.

It’s okay to be chronically late if one has several children? …Um, no. My five children chimed that answer.

It’s okay to cut in line or take a parking space from someone who was waiting for it. All you have to do is pretend like you didn’t see them…REALLY?

Interrupting a face to face conversation for a NON-EMERGENCY cell phone call is okay if it is a certain person…Well, the young lady did say if it was her mother so, maybe.

We certainly don’t intend to be mean. We just are asserting ourselves. What’s wrong with that?…especially when we are asserting ourselves with people in service jobs.

And does anyone REALLY count how many items you have in the express lane? I mean, really!

It’s easy to behave this way and state with certainty that one is not a rude person, easy because we do not inhabit a civil society but a society that is entitled. Every person who defended their rude behavior on the show had an air of “I’m entitled, I’m justified” to behave badly.

With the national election less than three weeks away, it is clear to me that this is one of the most divisive and rudest election seasons that I can ever remember. Regardless of the political party affiliation, candidates, supporters, pundits and the average voter alike seem hell-bent on tearing down anyone who does not see their point of view. Even a voter’s right to freedom of expression by simply placing a campaign sign in their lawn could subject one to the destruction of their own property. So this is all okay?  Really?

So where does rudeness by way of entitlement end and when does civility, kindness and just plain old good manners begin?

And how rude are you?