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March 13, 2023

Rudification

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Pogo by Walt Kelly
Pogo by Walt Kelly 1950

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Corey Doctorow is credited with creating the word and concept of “enshittification” – the life cycle of social media (and other) apps starting out good or great, and over time roping in the users for short term gain. I have another term – rudification – that to me encapsulates the growing levels of rudeness in society.

I don’t mean the deliberately offensive forms of rudeness exemplified by so many politicians. I don’t mean the mass acceptance of graphic invitations to physical impossibilities. I don’t even mean the shambles that are most website comment pages.

No, I mean the casual, unintended, daily rudeness displayed by one person to another. This is most obvious to me when I expect a response to an action or inquiry. For example, I had cause to submit an inquiry recently on the website of a local service provider. This is a small private business. I would have thought that an unsolicited invitation to pursue possible new business would be eagerly and promptly responded to. Well, it’s been a couple of weeks, with no hint of response.

Another example: when I was growing up, I was taught to say “thank you” if I received a gift. I have gifted several things in the last few months. For some I was fully and genuinely thanked, once with a hand-written note. But on two other occasions, I may as well have dropped the items into the ocean for all the response I received. And in one case the recipient had earlier expressed eagerness to have the item.

And one more example: I recently paid for and enjoyed an online instruction video for a rather esoteric technology. I thanked the author, both on the project website, and by email. I asked for comments on the work I produced using his approach. My email inbox has yet to be graced with an acknowledgement.

Is it just me? Am I being overly sensitive? Am I “taking life so serious”? Or are you also disappointed in the unfeeling rudeness of so many? Are you guilty of this? Am I?

Comments are welcome!

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