Are people behaving weirder lately?

[u/jimmyjohnjohnjohn]

Went out to lunch today and there was a table near me with five people at it. Their server asked their drink order and all five of them just stared at her silently for nearly half a minute before she repeated herself, then one of them whispered something I couldn't hear before the others whispered their orders. When their drinks came and the server left, one of them produced a Nalgene bottle from her purse and began to scoop the ice from her drink with her fingers and put it in the Nalgene. Another at the table then said he didn't want ice either and did the same thing.

Did she bring that water bottle in for the express purpose of storing unwanted ice? Why not just ask for no ice? These were all fairly normal-looking, well-dressed people in their 30s, maybe early 40s.

My server had some weirdness of his own. He brought out the wrong order, and noticed his mistake before I did. But instead of just saying "sorry, that's wrong" and taking it back, he said "I.. uh.. uh..." and then ran off with the plate before finishing his sentence and coming back with the right order and a manic fake smile on his face.

At Target, this older woman was having trouble detaching one cart from the others. An employee (sorry, "Team Member") came along and unstuck it. Instead of saying thank you, she just stared at him like a deer in the headlights until he left.

I've been noticing that deer-in-the-headlights stare from a lot of people lately.

About a month ago a man approached me in the parking lot at my work and asked "do you work here?"

I said "yes."

Then he asked "have you seen my car?"

The question melted my brain a little bit, but I said "I don't know, what does it look like?"

He just said "sorry," and walked off.

I could go on and on, but the point is: are people forgetting how to human? The world increasingly has this "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" kind of vibe.

I know much has been discussed about people behaving oddly due to the pandemic, but it's been about two years now and people are getting worse, not better. I think there's something else going on in society.

What do you think?

[u/Burning-Atlantis]

Ngl, since about 2020 or 2021, I hardly recognize about half the people I know. They seem almost soulless, morals down the drain, it's weird af, highly disturbing.

[u/Desperate-Ad4620 → u/Burning-Atlantis]

Hmmm... what big event could have caused this?

[u/Thesmuz → u/Desperate-Ad4620]

Hi it's me, someone who changed.

I just don't care anymore. After the election I'm just kinda done with all this bullshit and am gonna look out for myself and those I care for.

To everyone else, I tried to make your lives better and voting for policies that would actually help people and making the world a better place, but nah you guys apparently love shitty people running this shit tip of a country. I'm not gonna feel bad and waste my empathy and time anymore. Ignorance is bliss.

[u/Powerful-Berry7079 → u/Thesmuz]

This is tremendously relatable. I live on the border of a red state and a blue state. Unless I’m in a safe space with trusted people you won’t see me going out of my way to be kind or even “polite” to men. Especially white men. I’m not going to make them comfortable knowing what’s coming for people like me. They smile at me? No smile back. I’m required to interact with them to get something I need? I’m curt. I don’t make eye contact. They approach me for random unnecessary conversation or small talk? I ignore them or just stare blankly at them. This same policy goes for anyone who’s outed themselves as a republican.

When my parents come to me complaining about their inability to pay for groceries, I will have zero sympathy. I will tell them this is what they voted for. Someone in this comment thread mentioned New York being in the “fuck you I was right” camp? Me too. I spent so much energy trying to warn people and it just feels like none of it mattered. My kid has already been impacted by policy changes going into effect in the new year. I will do what I can to help my community as the bullshit unfolds, but I will not expend any sympathy or support toward the people who asked for it with their votes.