Was this rude, or am I just hopelessly old-school?

• Cat Food Flambe'

  

  Lady D'Friskies and I took our parents (her Mom, my Dad, age 79 and 82 respectively) out for dinner in Dublin this evening. There was a short wait for an open table.
  
  There was very little seating available in the waiting area, and three seats worth was taken up by a couple of what looked to be 12-year boys playing some sort of video game. There was nothing wrong with them as far as I could tell.
  
  While is is going on, both of our parents, as well as a lady who looked to be about eight months pregnant, were standing around in full view of the boys. After ten minutes, my MIL was obviously suffering, so I asked the boys if they could move over so she could sit. They did, but I got a look from them as though I'd asked them give up screwing until they were forty.
  
  The woman with the boys was engaged with a cell phone conversation during the entire period - no help there. To the credit of the hostess, she saw what was going on and managed to seat us AND the pregnant lady ahead of the boys and Ms Yapsalot (who sure didn't overlook THAT - "They, ah, called ahead, Ma'am").
  
  Growing up, I was taught that an able-bodied kids didn't take a seat in a situation like that unless all the women and older adults had a place to sit (not that there were many of the latter - generally, you were run down by a sabertooth tiger by the time you turned 40 and lost a few steps. ). Is this now completely out of vogue??
• justincredible

  

  Nope, not rude at all.
• sleeper

  

  No, but society is dumber.
• Ironman92

  

  I guess it's a little old school, but more so kids that age and especially boys just are very to their own needs...not purposely rude...just ignorant of how to act and even when to be aware of those around them. It's commonplace for most of us....but I guarantee less of us were that way in Jr high....in fact I guarantee. Too bad the guardian was too busy to set the correct example.
• Polar Bear 73

  cff, if you are hopelessly old school, i must have been in the same class. It is simply a matter of common courstesy and respect. I can proudly say that I have seen my 14 year old son, placed in this same scenario, willingly give up his seat, without being asked or prompted.
• GoChiefs

  

  I always give my seat up if needed. Unfortunately, I see many that don't.
• rmolin73

  

  Nope not old school at all.
• outdoorsman

  Rude seems to be the new cool. Damn shame.
• ernest_t_bass

  

  WTF did I just read?
• fortfan

  Kids are incredibly self-centered today. Sounds like maybe their mother is self-centered too-so they have a good role model.
• bigkahuna

  Polar Bear 73;853664 wrote:cff, if you are hopelessly old school, i must have been in the same class. It is simply a matter of common courstesy and respect. I can proudly say that I have seen my 14 year old son, placed in this same scenario, willingly give up his seat, without being asked or prompted.

  
  I'm glad to hear that there are people that still teach their kids manners. Bravo to you.
  
  As far as the OP goes. You're not rude at all. I too have been sitting down and given my seat up to pretty much anyone else; older person or even the same aged woman.
• Little Danny

  

  The sad part is the two boys and their mom probably still don't get it.
• GoChiefs

  

  ernest_t_bass;853725 wrote:WTF did I just read?

  This.
  

  Cat Food Flambe';853652 wrote:Lady D'Friskies and I took our parents (her Mom, my Dad, age 79 and 82 respectively) out for dinner in Dublin this evening. There was a short wait for an open table.
  
  There was very little seating available in the waiting area, and three seats worth was taken up by a couple of what looked to be 12-year boys playing some sort of video game. There was nothing wrong with them as far as I could tell.
  
  While is is going on, both of our parents, as well as a lady who looked to be about eight months pregnant, were standing around in full view of the boys. After ten minutes, my MIL was obviously suffering, so I asked the boys if they could move over so she could sit. They did, but I got a look from them as though I'd asked them give up screwing until they were forty.
  
  The woman with the boys was engaged with a cell phone conversation during the entire period - no help there. To the credit of the hostess, she saw what was going on and managed to seat us AND the pregnant lady ahead of the boys and Ms Yapsalot (who sure didn't overlook THAT - "They, ah, called ahead, Ma'am").
  
  Growing up, I was taught that an able-bodied kids didn't take a seat in a situation like that unless all the women and older adults had a place to sit (not that there were many of the latter - generally, you were run down by a sabertooth tiger by the time you turned 40 and lost a few steps. ). Is this now completely out of vogue??

• THE4RINGZ

  

  Manners are almost nonexistent in today's youth, and the reason is pretty clear, look at the woman who was in charge of those youngsters. I have three boys and they all have a sense of chivalry. I am proud of the fact that I have ingrained that in them
• Gardens35

  Rude is rude regardless of when.
  
  There was plenty of it to go around back in the 60's and 70's too.
• jmog

  I would have beat my boys if they had done that.
  
  Matter of fact, if me and my sons were sitting when you walked in, all of us would have got up together and offered the seats to the pregnant woman and your 2 parents.
  
  I'm not that old, 32, and I was raised like this. At first it threw my wife for a loop early on when I would open doors for other girls and give up my seat to other women while waiting. Then when she saw I did it for women, old people, pregnant women, etc she realized I was just a respectful guy.
  
  I am trying to raise my boys to be the same way.
• dwccrew

  

  Each generation becomes more self absorbed and self centered as time passes. It will only get worse I fear.
• Con_Alma

  Not rude at all.
  
  It's sad that this is even thought to be "old school".
• Fly4Fun

  

  dwccrew;853912 wrote:Each generation becomes more self absorbed and self centered as time passes. It will only get worse I fear.

  
  I love statements like this.
  
  The old "things were so much better in my day" mentality cracks me up all the time. One little anecdote doesn't speak for a whole generation. And even if it did just because one generation changes in one aspect, it doesn't mean as a whole it is necessarily worse. I would consider racism to be pretty self-absorbed/self centered because people wouldn't even take the time to learn about others. Racism starts with ignorance. People are ignorant because they are self-centered.
  
  Therefore on that aspect I'd make the argument that people 40 years ago were a lot more self-centered than they are today. (I'm not saying racism is gone today, but it is a lot less prevalent.)
  
  I hate it when people proclaim essentially that everything was better in their generation and society is only going downhill.
• Commander of Awesome

  

  yes.
• darbypitcher22

  

  see no problem with it at all. Kudos to you
• Captain Cavalier

  

  I don't believe it was rude at all, unless, of course, it was asked rudely.
  

  Fly4Fun;853950 wrote:I hate it when people proclaim essentially that everything was better in their generation and society is only going downhill.

  Maybe not everything but seeing what is deemed as "acceptable" on TV nowadays may be partly to blame for some of the problems.
• bo shemmy3337

  If I am sitting down and an elderly, pregnant, or disabled person is forced to stand I will get up.
• friendfromlowry

  I was never much for sitting -- standing's where it's at.
  I'm not shocked the kids didn't notice an elderly couple in need of seating, but if they gave you a look/bad attitude, that would have pissed me off.
• fan_from_texas

  You obviously did the right thing, and the kids were/are morons. If your generation hadn't been such complete screw-ups as parents, kids today would be much better.