Hey Tres, I'm really happy for you - and I'm going to let you finish - but I just wanted to say that HuffPo is the best news site of all time!!!!

spacekatgal!!!

America is a country founded on rude, crude, and violent behavior. Why is anyone surprised?

Serena's outburst is nothing new. Hell, Andre Agassi and John McEnroe lived their careers based on this; but, of course, they're males, so it's okay to not dredge on it. What Kanye did was rude; however, the racist remarks, ironically, by some on various boards, like Youtube, goes to show that he's not as rude as others. It's funny how Kanye's rudeness was played up more than Joe Wilson's. But, once again, that's okay. He's All-American. So, he's exempt.

(BTW, just kidding. I really love this site!)

I think we are, but I think I prefer it this way. When you read about other time periods, like feudal Japan or Dickensonian London, it's like there's all this nastiness just brewing under the surface. Very passive-agressive. At least we live in a direct society.

Well, some of us, spacekat, don't care for it. It makes life a bit harder for us.

HoneyBrown, in what way is America "founded on rude, crude, and violent behavior"? I thought America was founded to escape religious and political persecution, and to establish a nation where people are encouraged and supported to work hard and be happy? Nowhere in the Bill of Rights does it say "Americans have the right to be assholes" - granted, it also doesn't say "Americans have the right to be offended at every jerk who does something idiotic"

The problem is no one calls anybody out anymore especially kids. When I was a kid you got called out and before I was a kid you got called out on outragious behavior. But it just seems that more and more these days people refuse to speak up so there's no wall of reason to snap us back until we're adults and we pull a Kanye or a Serina. Kids these days are so damn rude and have the filthiest mouths I've ever heard in my life. Even I've never talked like they do and I've been around the block honey, lol.

To me it's simple as long as we allow that aspect to cultivate it self in our children it's just going to keep on growing because the adults that use to provide a solid wall of what is appropriate and not are fewer and fewer.

I don't know, Mamasita. I'd definitely agree with HoneyBrown on that one.

When I was getting my journalism degree, I was really amazed to read a lot of the first-hand news during that time period. It was written to smear and defame people in a way that would make even Fox news proud. Samuel Adams was a radical propagandist of the most incendiary kind. Most uncivilized, to be certain.

Well in more ways then one, the first amendment does give Americans the right to be @ssholes...

The behavior of some INDIVIDUALS does not mean that America is full of rude people and that we are losing our manners. This kind of behavior is not unique to America. In many countries politicians go as far as actually using physical violence when they don't like or agree with their counter part. The problem is that America is under a microscope and people love to criticizes everything that famous figures do; when in reality the same thing happen in their countries.

"Putting aside the possible implications, do you think Americans are getting ruder?"

Absolutely Tres. This wouldn't be America if we didn't have at least 3 jackass people making it into the media spotlight on a daily basis. There has to be someone on the news trying to start a new rumor each week, or saying something immoral or foul, in front of a microphone.

CNN use to be a great news source. Now they're into starting trouble or keeping it going just so people can tune in.

The twitter board to the side of the CNN news desk is sad.

Who gives a sh*t what *MandyPieHole has to say or *RandyDoUwantSome has too say. Whatever CNN

I don't think it's just America. We live in a culture of convenience and immediacy, where poor behaviour is rewarded, or at least rewarded with more than an adequate amount of attention on TV and online. The anonymity of the Internet allows one to spew whatever the hell they want with little or no repercussion. Yes people are rude, but please, Kanye West is not a good indicator that the foundation of society is crumbling. Have you read his blog?

i agree with pistil. i think people are getting ruder EVERYWHERE. i blame technology. not get off my my lawn!

Mamasita, learn to read behind the lines. Everything in life isn't explicit. Did you take a course in History any time in your life? It's been written down.

I have to agree that people are getting ruder. To take it one step further, there isn't a whole lot of common curtesy, or politeness anymore either. I notice it from grocery shopping to driving. People are very self involved now a days, and I agree with the poster above who said that no one gets called on it anymore. I'm sure you've all run into the person at the store who has parked their cart on one side, and is searching for an item on the other side of the aisle, and doesn't care that anyone else needs to get through.. cause it's all about them. I feel awful for being in people's way and I appologize and smile - but that's just not how the majority of people are.

It's not country as a whole. It's also unfair to think we are the only country with rude people in it. I have been out of the country, and traveled nearly half the world, and I will say that some places I have visited a far worse than the United States. Personally, in the US, I haven't experienced overtly rude people in grocery stores, and in most places, even just driving on the road. I haven't had someone jump onto a boat we were on with M-16's, just trying to harass people and scare them...etc. People get ruder everywhere. While we may get ruder with words, other people can certainly get ruder with actions. Some of the sh*t that even happens in places like Italy, don't happen to a lot of people here. I think "rude" happens everywhere, no matter who you are. We're not a bad country because we have some people who can't behave nicely.

we arent a country founded on rude behavior at all. But I do think that with all the technology today, and the chance to be anonymous because of it, that people are indeed letting the rude out, as for public displays of rudeness like Kanyes and Serenas, we have to realize that celebrities are so detached and sheltered that they think they are the only voice that counts therefore they tend to have diarrhea of the mouth more often.

HoneyBrown, its funny that you ask such "veiled" rude question (Did you take a course in History any time in your life? ). I'm a military history and theory major with a minor in anthropology, and have studied world cultures during their periods of revolution, unrest, and generally really dark times.

also funny? it seems that on this post (or many other 'polarizing' Tres posts), if someone disagrees with you, they're wrong and obviously uneducated. which I supposes proves the point even more that individuals are increasingly more rude because society is ok with it. fantastic.

People are always saying back when, things were so much because because yada yada yada...

I was in the supermarket this past weekend and a little girl was playing with something in her hands and walked into my fiance. Her mother scolded her and explained that she should watch where she's going and it's not OK to walk into people.

Every morning, I have to make a left onto the parkway and every morning, some nice person stops and lets me though the traffic.

Every morning, I get to work and someone holds the elevator for me. If they're a guy, they always let me off the elevator first.

Everyone focuses on the jerks that ruin their day. Sure there are a lot of jerks, but I think the general population is OK. People have to focus on the nice things others do too.

Oh man...if I could list the order of rudeness by countries I visited, Italy would be near the top of the spectrum, if not the top. Seriously, an Italian man whom I did not know went up and stroked my hair. I was appalled. And, don't get me started on the traffic. It's abysmal. I remember the millisecond the light turned green, the Italians behind us were already honking their horns and waving angrily at us to get going. We'd have to partially run the last second of red light for them to be happy.

Japan would be at the bottom of the spectrum in terms of rudeness. Yes, there is less external conflict between people but more internal problems like suicide. A lot of people don't voice their true feelings and opinions for the sake of harmony.

As for America, overall, it would be somewhere in the middle. I've met a good number of courteous, polite people as well as rude, obnoxious jerkwads. I have also noticed that people in Washington and northern Cali give way to you in traffic whereas people in southern Cali, Las Vegas, NYC, and Boston don't hesitate to cut you off. Honestly, when it comes to American rudeness, it really depends on where you were brought up.

I think in general YES!!!! But not just America, Canada too. It seems that common sense, manners & politeness are nonexistent. When was the last time someone held the door for you or u held the door for them, and they said THANK YOU!!! My goodness, to me it common sense. Now if I hold the door for someone and they are not polite or even smile at me, they get rudeness from me.

To label America as a rude country because some celebrities acted badly on TV is juvenile.

There are rude people EVERYWHERE. I also have traveled a bit, and quite frankly, have never met more unfriendly people than I did in Paris. They have that reputation for a reason. Before I left, I was told they were "formal".... a euphemism if a ever heard one. Met a couple of nice people, but overall, will not go back there.

I do, however, agree with the comments that it does seem that kids aren't disciplined like they used to be when they behave badly in public. It's like the parent's are sick of it and don't care if their kids act like brats.

Also agree with the comment about the internet....you can get online and take out your anger about work, relationships, etc., anonymously on perfect strangers. Not healthy...go to the gym, whatever, to destress. Do something positive. The internet gives people the ability to be perfect a$$holes to each other, and I am not excluding myself from that.

Have any of you watched a session of Parliament on tv? it's nuts! Everyone is yelling and name-calling! It's far from the "wait-your-turn" style that our Congress currently holds.

imLissy, THANK YOU, I completely agree. its all about what you choose to focus on -- the handful of idiots, or the majority of well-raised, polite, good people

As a rule I do not like to generalize. But after working in the tourism industry, I have to say that Americans are the rudest group of individuals I ever had the displeasure to serve. They rarely said please or thank you and they tipped very badly, in comparison to individuals from other cultures. They also knew little to nothing about my country. In general, American tourists come across to the rest of the world as ignorant and uneducated. For example, in Paris locals are usually very unhappy when dealing with American tourists because they find them so rude and offensive. Perhaps the public education system in the U.S. should focus more of its resources on educating their children on the history and culture of other countries.

Anonymous #25 Dont get me started on how "foreigners" dont know squat about america when they come here to visit or to live.

YES. It might just be the times.

I have seen people lose it in a waiting line, because they feel so entitled to be served first. People in America have lost all respect for those around them and are all about me, me ,me. I know how every culture points fingers at every other culture around them but truth is, there is a decline in every corner of the world. When has there ever been respect for human life in places like the middle East? Or when have Americans been respected in Europe? They think Americans are the bottom of the barrel and I've seen some act like they will catch a virus if they come near one. In all fairness #'s 25 and 26 no one will ever know more about a culture except the people who live their. In America I've seen discrimination towards all other groups of people. I've seen what 25 is talking about when mentioned that Americans don't know how to say please or thank you. They think everyone else is so inferior to them, when truth is at the end we all end up rotting 6 six feet under. This of course doesn't mean all Americans do this, I've had the pleasure of meeting some very beautiful people of all cultures, but no one can argue that the decline is in fact on it's way. I myself have been guilty of the self entitled feel, but like I said I remind myself where we all end up and bring myself back to earth, cause lets face it, we're no better than the one next to us. Education, talent, self-worth, It all goes with you.

Meike is exactly right about Italy. I was there once; and you'd have to pay ME to go there again. In general, they were a *self absorbed*, obnoxious, rude population. Jeez when I was on my honeymoon at a couples only resort, we went somewhere where couples from all around the world came. Most couples I met were not, and if not they at least SMILED...except for the couple from Italy. They *constantly* looked irritated, rolled their eyes at everyone, and walked around with their noses up int he air like they were wayyyy too good to be there.
"Um, so, why are you here then?"

Anyways, having said that, yes, I find Americans rude to an extent. My experiences there have not been greeted with friendliness or people who would go out of their way to help you/make your day any better.
I was on a highway in a certain 'state' and my car broke down (i was there for work). I was 3 hours on the side of this busy highway, in a suit, on my cell and when I wasn't I was trying to flag for help...not ONE PERSON stopped. Not even a glance. I knew I wasn't in my homeland anymore, that's for sure. Back home, you wouldn't be stranded for 20 minutes....someone would stop and offer a hand.
Experiences like these have been mine of America

but to say it is only America that is rude and pigs is also wrong. All countries in general are deteriorating

Huh, I think making uneducated generalizations about history, people, and cultures is rude. "Rude" is subjective.

A pop star with an ego entertaining and drumming up more press for MTV and the starts involved is just not worth criticizing a nation or its heritage. If you think Americans or whoever are the only ones who are rude, you are obviously not well-traveled and obviously not used to meeting people from all over the world and from all walks of life.

*stars involved.

So people used to be more polite? Or maybe you are thinking of the upper classes? Lower classes were not "polite society" and now those people are middle class and even new wealthy.

Maybe societies were more polite when they were homogeneous. Ever think people may be nicer to people just like them? I am sure society was sooooo kind and polite to immigrants or other ethnic say 50 years ago, 100, or even 500. I am so tired of stupid comments where people think they are being so intelligent. Think it through.

^^Thanks, Anonymous. You've added to my point about our country and its foundation based on rude behavior.

Oh, Mamacita, clearly you are upset because I didn't espouse the rhetoric often taught in those courses that you've listed. So, you don't think it's rude and so forth to kill and destroy those that were originally here upon the country's "founding"? Also, you don't think it's "rude" to tell fellow Americans where to live, work, and provide for themselves as a means of segregation?

Yeah, so you've discovered my modus operandi. I like engaging conversation. So sue me!

I've been working food jobs for the last 7 1/2 years and over the last 2 years or so, the rudeness has gotten worse. People are CONSTANTLY ignoring me because they are on their cell phones, they smoke near the drive thru window (I have asthma), they yell at us for THEM ordering wrong and even when it is our fault, there is no reason to yell, they hold up the line passing out the food rather than pulling out so the person behind them doesn't get cold food, they wait to pull out their money and wallet and make me stand there for a full 30 seconds to a minute while they dig for change, etc. People are RUDE.

America's rudeness, I noticed during my lifetime, seemed to have heightened while everyday communication heightened on line. People felt more comfortable sitting behind their computer, anonymously, and letting their foul mouths run knowing full well they could 'get away with it' as who can 'call out' on a person who doesn't have a face.

I agree law of american. I see should not let peoples Catch HIV entry country because easy infect to man with a disease. YOu know: The American country is country have freedom about sex If Let HIV persons entry in country will very dangerous for safety to other person in public. At that time difficult to control country go to good way. I hopely, The american govement examine about this problem, Now economic at american is falling, If let HIV persons entry in to country easy make country become to bad with ecomonic go down beside problem social will increase. Other country like Italia, England have good developing and safety social because They control contry very good

Yes, I agree law of american. I see should not let peoples Catch HIV entry country because easy infect to man with a disease. YOu know: The American country is country have freedom about sex If Let HIV persons entry in country will very dangerous for safety to other person in public. At that time difficult to control country go to good way. I hopely, The american govement examine about this problem, Now economic at american is falling, If let HIV persons entry in to country easy make country become to bad with ecomonic go down beside problem social will increase. Other country like Italia, England have good developing and safety social because They control contry very good