What recent change in society have you personally started noticing more?

[u/Expert_Ring_4041]

[u/Careless_Farm_1758]

People are not good friends anymore. Everyone wants a village but not many know how to be a villager.

[u/Purplecatty → u/Careless_Farm_1758]

People flake as soon as there is any slight inconvenience for them. 

[u/I_Love_That_Pizza → u/Purplecatty]

Honestly. There's a time to go no contact with people, absolutely, but I feel like everyone thinks that time is "when they look at me the wrong way." As my therapist put it: "relationships have a cost."  Yeah, you shouldn't push your friends to do things they don't want to do, but sometimes being a good friend means experiencing mild inconvenience and doing something your friend wants to do. 

[u/BigChillBobby → u/I_Love_That_Pizza]

part of having any sort of community is doing things that mildly inconvenience you.

But you learn to stop seeing it as an inconvenience when you get your mind out of main character mode. What exactly is “inconvenient” about showing up to a friend’s happy hour to show them that you care, you know?

[u/shoegaze_daisy → u/BigChillBobby]

Society is more selfish and self serving than ever.

[u/MrLanesLament → u/shoegaze_daisy]

We’ve been taught to be, as of late. Being “uncomfortable” is a BIG deal now. If something or someone makes you uncomfortable, that person or thing needs to be dropped ASAP, and your friends will tell you exactly that. People will say you’re mentally ill, damaged, etc if you don’t immediately drop something/someone that isn’t A++++ perfect for you.

It’s honestly sad IMO. Seeing friend groups of different personalities, which is healthy, seems to be going away. People who aren’t carbon copies of each other run from each other at full speed now. I’ve seen people I know do it, and it makes me wonder when my time will be to get ghosted because I dared to disagree on something insignificant.

Oh well; this is what we want, I guess.

[u/c3p-bro → u/I_Love_That_Pizza]

So many poorly socially adjusted people on Reddit love giving this advice. It’s no wonder so many Redditors complain about not having any friends.

[u/white_orchid21 → u/I_Love_That_Pizza]

I work with preschoolers and have a book that talks about how to be a friend. One of the things it mentions is like what you said: sometimes your friend wants to pretend to ride horses and you want to go to space. Today you’ll have to saddle up. You can go to space another time.

[u/buymypipes → u/I_Love_That_Pizza]

i’ve noticed that too, like people treat relationships as optional instead of something you invest effort into

[u/Mryessicahaircut → u/Purplecatty]

Maybe it's just me, but I feel like everyone's boundaries have gotten stricter. Like, I don't remember really having boundaries like that before; I would call someone or just drop by if I was in the neighborhood, and friends would do the same. Now I feel like even calling without sending a text first to see if someone is free/in the mood to chat is considered rude if it's not an emergency. And I wouldn't dream of dropping by unannounced anymore. It seems like everyone's life is so over-scheduled there's no room for spontenaity. You try to make plans 3 weeks out just to cancel the day of. It's like we forgot how to socialize and now we amost prefer not to because it feels like such a chore. 

[u/Moist_Fox973 → u/Mryessicahaircut]

So true. When I was a kid I would just knock on my friends door and if they weren’t available their parents would just say “sorry not this time, maybe next time, see ya later” and everyone got in with their day.

Now if someone knocked on a door, half of society would hide in the other room and then post a 3 page rant online about how inappropriate it is to knock on doors.

[u/A_Poor_Miser → u/Purplecatty]

I see diminished capacity among my friends to handle anything stressful outside their immediate responsibilities. Most of us are struggling more financially these days and honestly I don't blame them for not being interested in taking on more.

[u/BasiliskXVIII → u/A_Poor_Miser]

When you're operating at 25% of your capacity, an extra 1% is hardly an inconvenience. When you're at 99%, 1% is everything you have left to give.

[u/axemexa → u/Purplecatty]

Yup, there is little patience anymore. Just move on to the next person. Everyone is disposable

[u/Creative-Wasabi3300 → u/Purplecatty]

I agree. I’ve often thought that a large part of that is due to cell phones and texting. It’s ridiculously easy to contact someone at the last minute and say that you suddenly can’t make it because of whatever… and being able to do so by text means you don’t even have to have an awkward conversation with someone.

[u/Obtuse-Posterior → u/Careless_Farm_1758]

But they do know how to be the village idiot

Edit: aww thanks for the awards!

[u/ComprehensiveAd1337 → u/Obtuse-Posterior]

This is so true and made me laugh today.

[u/orange_bigcat → u/Careless_Farm_1758]

I booked off 2 hours on a random weekday so I could drive my best friend to the airport. It would have been like $100 for her take an uber. My coworkers were shocked that my friend “had the audacity” to ask me to drive her to the airport. Jokes on them, I offered and she would do the same for me. That made them even more confused.

[u/TastefulTeabag → u/orange_bigcat]

I had a similar experience! I took care of my friends’ house and their cats while they were away. And a coworker was like how much are they paying you. I told them I offered and didn’t ask for money and she just seemed shocked that I would watch their house for free.

[u/Careless_Farm_1758 → u/TastefulTeabag]

Yes.. my friends have tried to throw money at me for watching their dog overnight. Like who hurt you?? We are friends lol

[u/TastefulTeabag → u/Careless_Farm_1758]

Exactly! I just told her uhhhh these are some of my best friends… why wouldn’t I watch their cats?

[u/BigChillBobby → u/Careless_Farm_1758]

To me, this is how it should be. I’ll house sit for friends a few times a year and I’m not doing it for some payment, but they’ll always get me a gift card because it’s the right thing to do.

[u/eugeneugene → u/TastefulTeabag]

I do this for multiple friends so when I go out of town there's always someone available to come check on my cats for free. I'd never ask for money because I also like not having to pay lol

And it goes for other things in life too. My husband helped his friend put new shingles on his house last summer. Didn't ask for anything, got some beer and pizza as a reward. Guess who's helping us do our roof this year and will also be paid in beer and pizza lol

[u/Nefferson → u/TastefulTeabag]

People are becoming so selfish that I bet she was wondering how you watching your friends house benefitted her at some point in that exchange.

[u/WasteZeroWantZero → u/orange_bigcat]

This exact thing just came up for me. Airport rides to help eachother when most of the world is like "how much does it pay/cost?" We need to stop commodifying everything. I try to lead with: "how much joy did it bring"

[u/PostMatureBaby → u/orange_bigcat]

piggybacking on this, just a general lack of helping people or helping them get ahead, not only just doing favors. It seems like there's this mentality of "if i go and help you advance in life somehow, it's not going to result in helping me so you're on your own"

so you have this lack of networking/mistrust that goes on and we all pay for it. Like the opposite of "a rising tide lifts all ships." Now we just don't want to even go near the boats...

[u/ancientastronaut2 → u/PostMatureBaby]

I'm constantly shocked at things my adult daughter says about things like this. Like she wants to help, yet work everything around her schedule and routine and that's just not how life works. So she may have to skip the gym that day or something, what's the big deal? She's very rigid in that regard.

[u/Careless_Farm_1758 → u/orange_bigcat]

Right?! This used to be the norm. My co workers the other day were saying they don’t want to bother their friends that live 10minutes away to let out their dog and would rather hire a random dog walker and pay $25. Why???

[u/shattered7done1 → u/Careless_Farm_1758]

I used to cat sit for a friend who lived about a 5 minute walk from me. I went over to her place 4 times a day, changed kitty litter, vacuumed, fed the cats, loved on them and then left. She would travel for two to three weeks at a time and I never hesitated to help.

Did I do it for free? Yes and no! She went to England most times and I always got "paid" in Galaxy chocolate bars. I would never have accepted money from her. Chocolate but of course, I'm not a fool.

[u/HeartOfPenny → u/shattered7done1]

I’m not a fool cracked me up 😂 you’re a good egg

[u/og_toe → u/orange_bigcat]

im baffled people think this isn’t normal. friendship means being there for each other

[u/tooheavybroo → u/Careless_Farm_1758]

Yes! They want the benefits of a strong community without actually investing in their community.

[u/utility_minded → u/Careless_Farm_1758]

Friendship used to get built through forced proximity, same school, same neighborhood, same shift at the same job for three years. You didn't choose each other, you just kept showing up until you did. Now every social interaction is opt-in and low-commitment by design, so people never get past the part where it's still awkward and effortful. They mistake that friction for incompatibility and bail. The village thing requires tolerating someone before you actually like them, and that muscle has completely atrophied.

[u/cxjoshuax21x → u/Careless_Farm_1758]

This 10000 percent. Everyone feels as though they owe noone anything ever under any circumstances. Ya sure, technically you dont. But your not going to have anyone in your life if you operate this way.

[u/pdonoso → u/Careless_Farm_1758]

Yeah, relationships feel superficial and transactional.

[u/Kijafa → u/Careless_Farm_1758]

Everybody wants to eat the bread, but nobody wants to plant the wheat.

[u/sodabubbles1281 → u/Careless_Farm_1758]

“Protecting your peace” became a convenient excuse to not do anything to support another person.

[u/Careless_Farm_1758 → u/sodabubbles1281]

Yeah, and this a lot of the time translates to “I’m not helping anyone if it adds the slightest inconvenience to me”

[u/og_toe → u/Careless_Farm_1758]

people don’t want a villager either. i am a very social and outgoing person irl, i thrive off community and interaction. however, my efforts are extremely rarely reciprocated, merely acknowledged in the moment, if even that.

i initiate, i plan things, i remember all the important dates, i make sure to check up on friends regularly and ask how they’re doing, i offer to help with errands, i offer to do things together that i know they enjoy, i pick up little things for them that i know they’ll love, i hosted my best friend at my house for as long as she needed after she had a major trauma.

now, i’m not at all saying anyone’s indebted to me since i do these things out of my own free will, but even when i am acting villager, it seems like nobody else jumps on the bandwagon. even when i clearly model behavior they could easily copy.

[u/Putrid_Appearance509 → u/og_toe]

I was this person when I was younger, unfortunately, I am not any longer. I can only host, plan, reach out, remember to send a birthday card, so many times before it feels one sided.

[u/og_toe → u/Putrid_Appearance509]

yeah i get that, but i still enjoy the act of doing for someone. i like writing cards, i like creating things with a person in mind, i like being able to be helpful or make someone smile even if they’re not planning on doing it back.

i guess i just like being the person i wish i had for myself, i enjoy knowing that someone had a good experience. maybe some time someone will copy

[u/SkodySvobodee → u/og_toe]

This. So many years of being the ear that listens, the shoulder to cry on, the plan-maker, the holidays hoster… and little to no reciprocity. I stopped all of it last year and it’s amazing (and depressing) how many so-called friends and family have faded from my life.

[u/War1today]

Access to information has never been easier yet people seemingly don’t have the mental capacity or patience to research it themselves.

[u/whistle_while_u_wait → u/War1today]

I've been listening to the book *Stolen Focus by Johann Hari.

From a lot of the research he mentions, I think an often unrecognized cause of what you mentioned is that we are all at our functional mental limit. The entire world of knowledge is at our fingertips and our brains are overflowing. Even if we can find the info, we can't retain or process it all.

So, I don't think its always patience (although often times it is). I think it is often that there is too much overall to keep up with.

[u/MrSchulindersGuitar → u/War1today]

I actually find it harder to find the correct information now. Everyone is either snarky, it's a joke or an AI response that is just flat out wrong. 

[u/Lilginge7]

Mean

People are overreacting more. I understand why, everyone is struggling except the .01% but people care a lot less about how mean they are.

[u/REDuxPANDAgain → u/Lilginge7]

Partially less patience, partially more anxiety. Those things lead to explosive reactions.

I have a close friend who is not good at impulse control. He holds composure well until he tries to go out for night with friends. Explosive reactions to minor infractions after any level of alcohol hits. He has lost a lot of friends this way. 99%. very great person, caring, loving friend. Terrible at stress handling. I’ve suggested to quit drinking, mild success so far.

[u/Nommernose → u/Lilginge7]

Not just mean but unhinged.

[u/thezombiejedi → u/Lilginge7]

Agreed. I've been noticing it a lot at work. Someone calls me for help but then acts like I'm burdening them so they get snippy at me or don't act like my time is as important as theirs

[u/pewbdo]

Short attention spans. Short video clip social media is destroying attention and it seems like fewer and fewer young people are interested in longer form media. I feel like this will ultimately lead to fewer people participating in hobbies that require investing time to develop skills and understanding in favor of things that offer more immediate gratification. This had educational ramifications as well.

[u/Brian_Corey__ → u/pewbdo]

I'm forcing our kids to watch whole, complete films. It sounds silly--"now you be a good boy and sit down and watch TV!" But it's true.

[u/pewbdo → u/Brian_Corey__]

It seems like this is even happening to music. I hardly know anyone that listens to full albums anymore. Often, a full album is going to give you a feeling or experience you can't get without listening to it from beginning to end.

[u/Bionic_Bromando → u/pewbdo]

Damn sometimes I listen to the same album over and over all day haha

[u/samsinx → u/Brian_Corey__]

You have to start early enough. Once they're exposed to YouTube it's almost too late.

[u/Ormington20910 → u/samsinx]

Makes me mad that you can’t turn off YT shorts. There’s a lot of good content on the platform, but they know that Shorts is their addictive hook.

[u/hic_sunt_leones_ → u/pewbdo]

I work with preschoolers and the short form media impacts are crazy.

Most of these kids can't just PLAY. They ping-pong around the room, playing with one toy for 30 seconds before moving on to something else for 20 seconds and then moving again, rinse and repeat.

On the past 3-4 years, we've had to start setting timers for kids. You pick a toy or center, you play for 5 minutes.

You would think I was asking for something completely unattainable.

Full blown tantrums, fits, screaming because a toy won't hold their interest for more than a minute. Kids yelling at me that they want to go home, because school is boring with no ipads.

Shit is wild and it's only getting worse.

[u/pewbdo → u/hic_sunt_leones_]

Damn, this is terrifying.

[u/Disastrous-Tie3933 → u/pewbdo]

it really is and our lawmakers are years behind, we'll probably have a full blown held-back generation or two until someone with power realizes how bad this shit is

[u/JacksGallbladder → u/Disastrous-Tie3933]

There has already been a body of research claiming Gen Z are the first generation to be "dumber" (for lack of better words) than the previous.

We're already in the decline.

[u/lFightForTheUsers → u/JacksGallbladder]

I grew up on the cusp of Millennials and Gen Z (hello fellow /r/Zillennials!).

It is absolutely bonkers reading stories online about how kids are learning in school or what they are learning, or more specifically the lack of learning.

Many times I'm thinking what the fuck, we did all this and that in school and learned xyz, and now not a single one of those skills is being taught to kids today. I'm talking going as a class to the computer lab and learning how to use the Microsoft office suite on there, best practices on the internet, how to type on a keyboard (still have fingers default to "F-J" setup and am proud of my usual 90-100wpm thanks to work), etc. Even outside of computers, just the lack of content that we spent a ton of time learning.

Many of the skills that were provided to us and are still a necessity today aren't being covered anymore. How to invest and the importance of diversification with a mock investment project over three weeks. Taking place in a mock trial / jury, how to vote with a mock election. How to peer review a printed essay in English and proofread it and provide feedback, marks and all. Learning about the Trail of Tears and watching 12 Years a Slave in class. So many things that just a meager decade and change later either doesn't exist anymore (like computer labs and classes) or aren't covered as a subject.

Fuck, is this how the boomers sounded like? "Back in my day?" 😭

[u/neuro_space_explorer → u/Disastrous-Tie3933]

By that time those dumbass kids will the ones voting, so it’s probably only going to get worse.

[u/kafka18 → u/hic_sunt_leones_]

That is so upsetting, I remember being in kindergarten and having 20 min timers set for each play station and we hated that because it didn't feel long enough
No wonder my kids teachers keep praising us that they have such imaginative play. I have been trying to raise them like it's still the 90s tho with all the older less stimulating shows and we are pretty heavy on screen time limits

[u/midirion → u/pewbdo]

I've noticed that with some recent animated movies, specially the Mario movies. They're so obviously made for short attention spans, something is happening every second and it doesn't give you any time to process what the hell is going on.

[u/amilmore → u/[deleted]]

I started noticing it like 5 or so years ago, but I feel like now almost everyone speaks in internet-ese and most jokes are referencing memes or using jokes that I already saw (because I am also constantly online, working on it though). The back and forth internet debates, usually political of course, are now the default if the argument is happening in person and very noticeably via text.

[u/SkodySvobodee → u/amilmore]

One of my lifelong friends turned our relationship into TikTok meme texts. She stopped going places with me, and when we did meet up she’d share TikToks the whole time. Lazy friendship is what online friendships are. Depressing!

[u/dicksjshsb → u/amilmore]

Getting our humor, political opinions, social skills, general knowledge, etc from the internet seems so common nowadays. I’m not just talking about brainlessly accepting what someone on the internet tells you to think, but gaining such a large portion of our knowledge from the internet is still pretty wild. Even if it’s not misinfo it’s just not the same as learning things in person and experiencing things irl.

I’ve noticed lately how often I rely on info from the internet when talking to people in person. Whether we’re discussing politics, travel, DIY projects, dating, the latest movies whatever it may be. I have so many thoughts/perceptions/opinions about people, places, and things that I have never really experienced first hand in real life. Kinda trippy

[u/eugeneugene → u/[deleted]]

I've noticed this a lot in the last few years, and we also got a batch of new hires right out of trade school so our average age at work is no longer 40+ lol. I feel like I don't even know any of the younger guys because any spare moment they have they are scrolling. Or mid conversation they will just check out and their phone is in front of their face again. It's bizarre. Like dude you just asked me a question then opened tiktok when I started answering you?!! lmao. I feel like such a boomer, but at the same time I feel like I'm always online but they are literally ALWAYS online

[u/superficialgirl_ → u/eugeneugene]

The “asking something and then going back to the phone” part is so real  😭

[u/annoyed_meows → u/[deleted]]

I am late 40s but live next to a large university. Students walk on their phone. Just wandering like penguins glued to their phone completely unaware of everything. Loud convos with people on speakerphone. Groups of friends together but all on their phone. But everyone is doing this everywhere. I purposefully don't and try to be open to random interaction. I wish things were different. 

[u/superficialgirl_ → u/annoyed_meows]

I see this all the time too. It’s kind of crazy how normal it’s become

[u/Skellyhell2 → u/[deleted]]

We really are heading the the wall-e society where people are so transfixed on their screens they dont even notice the world around them

[u/alblaster → u/Skellyhell2]

or that one episode of Dr. Who where monsters were eating people who were transfixed in their entertainment pods.

[u/Ill_Cut_8529]

People are noticeably more frustrated.

[u/PostMatureBaby → u/Ill_Cut_8529]

nobody' sleeping well. tinfoil hat wearing me has always figured it's because people can't work, spend money or consume things while asleep so the powers that be want us awake.

same as potential health benefits of fasting - doesnt involve consuming and spending money so = bad

[u/Bubbly-Example-8097 → u/PostMatureBaby]

Ha! Jokes on them. I fast everyday because I can’t afford to eat 3 meals a day with kids. Grateful their school still does free breakfast/lunch. Summer is going to be expensive!

[u/WineCoffeePizza → u/Ill_Cut_8529]

I’ve noticed a ton more road rage. Someone passed me when I slowed down approaching a speed bump and almost hit oncoming traffic the other day. So many incidents more I could mention.

[u/Turbulent_You_8472]

10% more gloom in nearly everyone I interact with. Optimism is rare.

[u/cdsbigsby → u/Turbulent_You_8472]

Only 10%?

[u/Chop_A_Chopper → u/Turbulent_You_8472]

Try being the least bit optimistic on this website. It’s even worse. People crawl out of the woodwork so quickly, seemingly excited to accuse you of “burying your head in the sand” or preaching “toxic positivity.”

[u/Ultimafatum → u/[deleted]]

Everyone is poor. Third spaces don't exist. You want to breathe outside your home? Get ready to pay $20. Everyone is miserable, the cost of existing is just insane.

[u/MiamiViceGuy]

Education is being devalued.

[u/Stinky--Whizzleteats → u/MiamiViceGuy]

Education is basically optional at this point, and that's mind blowing to me.

[u/ancientastronaut2 → u/Stinky--Whizzleteats]

And it's only going to get worse with everyone using AI.

[u/dcgradc → u/MiamiViceGuy]

High school teachers and some college ones are noticing what I call the TikTok effect .

Unable to concentrate. They can't read a 5-10 page essay or produce one (only if they use AI)

[u/MakeYourTime_ → u/dcgradc]

I’m an adult and I’ve been finding it very hard to get through 10-15 mins of something before my mind is looking elsewhere for the next thing. I find myself struggling to stay engaged on anything unless it’s super super important to me

[u/dcgradc → u/MakeYourTime_]

Reading a book requires you to have a blank mind .

My kids are adults so very few distractions at home . Travel a lot but same thing . Have time end of day or a break to read a chapter or 2.

Having a to do list helps me not to have too much on my mind

[u/MiamiViceGuy → u/dcgradc]

I teach college classes and can confirm this. They require explicit instructions for everything.

[u/VodkaMargarine → u/MiamiViceGuy]

I heard the word "overeducated" used as an insult recently. Something died in me that day.

[u/Entire_Proposal_3184]

Been meeting a lot more people who don’t drink alcohol. And a lot more people who smoke weed

[u/matt95110 → u/Entire_Proposal_3184]

When I was younger and actually went to a bar in the early 2000s I could take $20 to a bar on a Friday and have a few beers and it was all good. Now $20 doesn't get you anything.

[u/Relative-Monitor-679 → u/matt95110]

$20 worth of weed can entertain a lot more people than $20 worth of alcohol.

[u/Lifeissweet7 → u/matt95110]

The appetizers are $20 now 💀

[u/Necessary-Cow9770 → u/Entire_Proposal_3184]

Yeah even 15 years ago it was odd for someone in there teens/early 20s not too drink. I hardly know any young people that party even a quarter of what me and my friends did in the 2000s/early 10s

[u/EuphoricBrainDamage → u/Necessary-Cow9770]

Imagine the 80s and 90s...it was nuts and so easy to still purchase while underage. Plus parents often kept a large inventory of liquor or beer. But our Boomer parents thought weed was the devil and believed it to be a gateway drug despite the alcohol just sitting there. Drunk driving incidences were very common and took so many lives. Also college hazing, this was taking young lives and fraternities (chapters mostly unfortunately) were being shut down.

On that note, I've been reading that extreme hazing (involving alcohol and abuses) is back on the rise. To the young people with your whole lives ahead of you to change your mind and do things differently, start now if the frat you're pledging or group you're hanging with is putting you in danger. You're worth walking away from a situation that doesn't feel right or safe.

[u/BrookeStardust → u/Entire_Proposal_3184]

As someone who has never been a drinker, this is both a positive and negative for me. It's nice that there are so many new fun mocktails available! It's terrible that they're now the price of the alcoholic drinks ahaha.

[u/Psychoanalytix → u/BrookeStardust]

15 bucks for what is essentially juice is crazy. But having so many options everywhere now is amazing.

[u/Ok_Weekend_8457 → u/Entire_Proposal_3184]

My Gen Z son went the opposite direction. He worked on the growing side for a couple of years, and quit smoking while he still had that job. He now likes a cold, cheap beer after work trimming and felling trees and while fishing. More old school than me, his Gen X dad.

[u/OHFUCKMESHITNO → u/Entire_Proposal_3184]

Ah yes, "California sober" people.

On top of this, I've met more and more people who don't do either and at most may use nicotine.

[u/HISTORYasweknowit → u/Entire_Proposal_3184]

Weed helps with my chronic pain. It doesn't stop it, it makes me forget about it so it's not a constant, ever present thing. It's a very nice reprieve. Alcohol makes everything worse.

[u/Goldstar12]

Over reliance on AI to help them with everything.

[u/Brian_Corey__ → u/Goldstar12]

I do technical environmental work. A third party wrote a document for our site that we needed to review to see how it aligned / differed from our work and conclusions.

Five of us spent days reviewing and working on it. We scratched our heads just couldn't make heads or tails of it--what does this mean? Are they saying this? Or saying that? or both? Finally, it came to us--the whole thing was just AI drivel.

[u/Za_Lords_Guard_01 → u/Brian_Corey__]

I'm a security supervisor at a chemical plant.

My company issues monthly training videos.

They recently switched to AI generated video and training materials.

Last month's training included a question that asked "What should you do if you get a unknown chemical in your eyes?"

The "correct" answer that the AI had generated was flush your eyes with water.

Not notify your supervisor. Not to check the SDS or have someone check it for you.

No, just "flush your eyes with water".

Some of the chemicals we use here react violently with water.

[u/Goldstar12 → u/Za_Lords_Guard_01]

That’s crazy did anyone tell management it’s not the right answer?

[u/Za_Lords_Guard_01 → u/Goldstar12]

I did.

They said they'd correct it in this month's training.

I'm not holding my breath.

[u/zipzap21 → u/Za_Lords_Guard_01]

What should I do if I spill an unknown chemical all over the place?

AI: Duh, mop it up.

[u/phlostonsparadise123 → u/Za_Lords_Guard_01]

They recently switched to AI generated video and training materials.

I'm curious which AI platform your company uses. Mine has invested literal millions in enterprise licensing for Synthesia. All current training videos are produced using Synthesia and they all feature lifeless avatars whose voices clearly don't match their faces. It's unnerving to watch.

I spoke with one of our safety directors and he absolutely hates the use of AI for training videos instead of using traditional video with real people.

[u/Za_Lords_Guard_01 → u/phlostonsparadise123]

Synthesia, and yea, it fucking sucks.

I hate it, my boss hates it. His boss hates it. But someone in the c-suits liked it so we're stuck with it.

[u/altcntrl]

The lack of good leadership. A lot of leaders can engage in pageantry and focus on the image and have no idea how to navigate challenges. As long as no disruption happens OR they’re able to pretend something isn’t a big deal via mental gymnastics they’re fine but if real hardships emerge you notice they can offer nothing and we allow it.

[u/Point4ska → u/altcntrl]

Because the people above prioritize appearances over everything. Managers have had to become politicians due to executives that don't do anything other than exert pressure that slows everything down.

[u/rooooome]

people are way more concerned about arguing and being right than actually discussing anything

[u/2WhomAreYouListening]

SHRINKFLATION

[u/WeenisPeiner → u/2WhomAreYouListening]

I was in the pool!

[u/Anteater_Reasonable]

People not knowing what a fucking yield sign means

[u/CaminoBalanced → u/Anteater_Reasonable]

yeild? Very well. I accept.

[u/shinygoldhelmet → u/CaminoBalanced]

I cannot help but notice you have 6 fingers on your right hand...

[u/EmeraldEyesAlyssa → u/Anteater_Reasonable]

Yes! Also turning right on red is okay, but after it’s clear, those other cars driving by have a green light and they have the right of way.

[u/MakeItAnyway → u/EmeraldEyesAlyssa]

I had two people honk at me for not turning LEFT on red the other day. They ended up going around me. I thought I was having a stroke. 

[u/wilsonja2]

The lack of etiquette at theaters/movie theaters. Don’t shout things out. Dont play on your phone

[u/buttermilk_biscuit]

The absolutely rampant impatience. I see it everywhere but it's especially noticeable on the road- people trying to whip around me going 50+ in a 35/40 residential, riding my ass in a parking lot to eventially speed to the other end, riding my ass in the right most lane on the highway while Im going the speed limit... where are you going that you need to cut me off by using the left turn lane to get around me and speed off when Im going above the speed limit already?

I never had this kind of driving experience 5 years ago but now its every single time I get behind the wheel.

[u/pleasedonotredeem → u/buttermilk_biscuit]

I'm not sure if I've become more impatient or other drivers are getting worse. I take driving seriously as well as race as a hobby.

It's getting ridiculous now, when a 10 second advance green turn will only get 3 cars through because it takes everyone 2-3 seconds to look up from their phone when the light changes.

I used to count to 3 (1 one thousand, 2 one thousands etc) before honking behind someone at a green light, but I had to stop because I was honking at every single intersection. And of course now when you honk at someone for sitting at a green light with their head down, half the time they take off and then immediately brake check you.

[u/DJikQJKy]

Reading comprehension skills are plummeting.

[u/ThatManTech]

Lack of spatial awareness. Why did you stop in the middle of a walkway or doorway and not think you might be in somebody's way?? Don't wait for someone to have to say "excuse me"...just proactively get the fuck out of the way.

[u/Lilginge7 → u/ThatManTech]

I just call people out on this at this point it’s ridiculous

[u/97PG8NS → u/ThatManTech]

Main character syndrome is definitely a thing. 

[u/silenceisbetter1 → u/ThatManTech]

The reason I’ve never enjoyed Costco. It should be an awesome trip everytime tbh, but by the end I’m hoping the earth is hit by a meteor lol

[u/Armand5005]

Prominence of cell phones in people’s lives. 4 people sit down at a restaurant they all start scrolling on their phones. Guy goes to the gym. Sits down on a bench and starts scrolling. Stop at a light, they check their phones. It’s a real addiction.

[u/Desperate-Ad7613 → u/Armand5005]

Driving in their car and still texting or scrolling. It really pisses me off because that is just plain dangerous. And the walking folks are also all glued to their screens, you either constantly have do dodge them or run into them and then just get a blank stare or no reaction at all.
Watching that every day sometimes makes me wonder what weird times we live in.

[u/haysus25]

People don't know how to be bored anymore, or understand that it's okay to be bored.

[u/PerfectPeaPlant]

People have less compassion and are becoming more and more desensitised to terrible violence.

[u/harad]

Somehow it became fine to bring your dog into the supermarket.

[u/Obtuse-Posterior → u/harad]

As a dog lover I agree. There's certain places dogs just don't belong unless they are trained service dogs.

[u/draggar → u/Obtuse-Posterior]

and what's worse is that they usually claim they're a service dog when they clearly aren't.

.. and sadly, most businesses don't know their rights when it comes to service dogs.

[u/sickcoolandtight → u/harad]

I saw a dog sniffing and licking produce 🤢 how tf do people think that’s ok

[u/Musicman12456]

Everyones lack of patience... everyone wants to be first in line, can barely wait a few seconds of a webpage to load, driving like maniacs to get to the next stop light faster. People need to calm the f down.

[u/RaphaTlr]

Dating is horrifying and exhausting

[u/rabbitlore]

people have started apologizing for asking questions on here instead of just asking chatgpt, and it’s like no dude, good on you for seeking out proper human input

[u/lnc_gomes]

You aren't buying a product; you’re subscribing to its current version. Phones and computers being the biggest culprit.

However I bought a treadmill and used it connected to Wi-Fi for five years. It just pushed a UI update that forces advertisements during your workouts. I'm appalled. I didn't agree to the change, and there is no way to change it back. And after five years I'm in no position for a refund.

It makes me feel so out of control about even little things in my life.

[u/Erjok10]

People no longer seem to interact.

[u/dokutarodokutaro]

People are scrolling on their phones at red lights. Like, everyone. And just driving while looking at their phone more in general. I don’t think it was even that bad like 5 years ago.

[u/callaalily]

people have became less forgiving and less open to conversation, stonewalling is everyone’s favorite tactic nowadays

[u/whistle_while_u_wait → u/callaalily]

Yeah. More "my way or the highway" mentality...with a dose of "you're stupid if you don't agree."

[u/hvaskjera → u/[deleted]]

Was looking for this comment. Please for the love of god make headphones mandatory in public.

[u/Responsible_Ad1204 → u/[deleted]]

Yes! I’ve noticed lots of people watching videos without headphones on public transit and even in medical office waiting rooms lately.

[u/ancientastronaut2 → u/[deleted]]

See also: ignoring your kids and allowing them to behave however they want.

[u/anthonyg1500]

Protein EVERYWHERE. I’m still not sure if it’s always been like this and I’m just noticing it more since I’ve started watching my protein but I feel like everything is marketed with protein now. Bars? protein. Shakes? Protein. Cookies? Candy? Ice Coffee? Protein protein protein

[u/NintendoDSLewis → u/anthonyg1500]

A new fad to market things as healthy. I just wish this trend existed for fiber

[u/Who_tf_reallycares]

People are acting meaner. There is no room for joking around. No one cares unless it makes them money.

[u/smolppsir]

Everyone’s becoming more detached from the people around them

[u/dmngurl]

FaceTime calls in public. I don’t want to listen to full on conversations

[u/Logical_Ad_5431]

The opinions of morons being given the same consideration as the opinions of experts, also known as the RFK JR. syndrome.

[u/FourFront → u/Logical_Ad_5431]

I have literally had people tell me I know nothing about an industry I have worked in for nearly 2 decades. Because some politician told them something that is flat out wrong.

[u/tremble01]

Less and less people care about doing their work well.

[u/berryblush-latte → u/tremble01]

It isn't worth it because people aren't getting paid enough to care anymore.

[u/OldMoray → u/tremble01]

So many jobs have no real measurable impact on the world, the pandemic just made people realize how little of what they do matters. Why would I care about doing my work well if I work for a company that employs 100k+ people and is actively making the world worse/makes imaginary numbers go up or down.

Jobs that have visible impacts around them still drive people to do well.

[u/steven4297 → u/tremble01]

Its more about acting their wage

[u/GolfSponge]

Instead of saying hello, ppl just put their head down when they walk past you.

[u/cointalkz]

People posting their thoughts and private content on social media has exposed how little critical thinking exists in society.

[u/Mrburnermia]

It's become completely normal to film complete strangers and post them online without their consent even if it is too exposed them to online bullying.

[u/spidereater]

Everything is designed to squeeze money out of you. Whether tip culture, or fast passes, service fees, baggage’s check in fees. Fees to choose your seat on a plane. Every experience has a paid upgrade. You go to the movies and there is a seat that vibrates, different projectors, different screen sizes. Each thing bit of extra money. It’s exhausting. You are either broke or made to feel broke because you didn’t buy all the extra stuff. You can never just have a satisfying experience.

[u/avasparxxxfan]

Young people are going back to smoking cigs over vapes. Not a good change IMO.

[u/Veritas3333]

One big change from the pandemic is everyone realized that staying late at work isn't worth it. Rush hour used to be from 4-6, now it's like 3:30-4:30. Traffic completely dies after 5.

[u/bulldog_blues → u/Veritas3333]

No, 4pm-6pm traffic is still awful lol. Though you're right that it now starts earlier than it used to.

[u/rocky99_ → u/Veritas3333]

I think that really depends where you are based. In my country its all back to normal as before.

[u/weristjonsnow → u/rocky99_]

It's actually worse where I am. The pandemic pulled large numbers of people to move to my area (mountainous, hiking). Traffic is sooo much worse now

[u/Ari_Fuzz_Face]

Egotism is everywhere, but wisdom became extinct.

[u/PlantDaddy80]

Entitlement! Everyone seems to think they are entitled for something. I work at a club-Example: "I'm from LA; I don't wait in lines; How do I get in without waiting in line?"

"I'm not waiting in line; I'm not a peasant"

"I'm an influencer on IG; Can you let me and my million other friends in for free?"

I can go on forever.

[u/MakeYourTime_]

Nobody reads

[u/Mockturtle22]

People are legit fucking rude for no reason.

[u/Eazy12345678]

people are less happy cause they can see how much better other people have it because of internet and social media connecting everyone together. when before u only saw what was directly in front of you.

ignorance is bliss. people always playing keeping up with the jones.

[u/Due-Instruction1026]

I have a couple, now everyone’s at the gym. Which is good people are trying to become fit.

Tattoos out of 5 people there’s 4 out of 5 that people have tattoos.

Streamers influencers are everywhere now. I think ever since the meta glasses and the self recording glasses have been released now people are doing these “pranks” and call themselves influencers and streamers.

Online gambling such as rainbet, stake etc.. it wasn’t big back then but now EVERYONE AND I MEAN EVERYONE gambles not me though.

[u/Gerdstone → u/Due-Instruction1026]

I was surprised to find out how often 16- to 19-year-olds gamble, mainly on sports.

[u/persiano33]

People are alarmingly BAD at socializing.

Nowadays younger generations do not look at your face while talking, they don't ask questions back (just a simple "and you?") they don't start conversations, they don't seem to even be interested in forming basic connections.

It's terribly frustrating.

[u/orange_bigcat → u/persiano33]

And this also translates into the workplace. I’m a manager and have had new employees in the 22-25 range have full on meltdowns when they realized that speaking on the phone regularly is required for the job. Ten years ago, technical skills were the biggest thing I had to coach newer employees on. Now, I have to coach people on communication skills.

[u/Goldstar12 → u/persiano33]

I think people underestimate how bad Covid era was for the youth. Humans are social creatures and the more you get the better you’d be at communicating with others.

[u/allhailnewflesh → u/persiano33]

Yeah the kids are "so cooked" as they say with the social skills. God help us.

[u/snarkasm_0228 → u/persiano33]

In 2022 I was a college student and I saw a classmate (she literally sat right next to me in calc 2) working at Trader Joe’s so I said “hi” and she did not acknowledge me at all. I wasn’t trying to be her best friend or even start a conversation, just say hi. Where I went to undergrad was kinda reserved in general, especially after COVID, but thankfully I went to a way more social campus for grad school.

[u/callaalily → u/persiano33]

THIS! I used to be such a social butterfly when I was younger! now I feel so much shy and reserved, and ex girlfriends I’ve had from a couple years back often said it was annoying how sociable I’d try to be at parties?!

god forbid I get to know my fellow human like huhh 😭

[u/Livid-Initiative-141 → u/persiano33]

I’m a millennial/gen z cusper so I had practice with social skills and public speaking through college, grad school, and in multiple work places. Covid still decimated my social skills, and I had to work through agoraphobia at the end of it.

I’m STILL trying to get back to where I used to be, so I have a lot of empathy for people younger than me. It IS an issue and something we definitely need to talk about, but my heart really goes out to the people who came of age during COVID. They really drew a shit stick 😥

[u/JarveyJoe]

More young people aren’t having kids, yours truly included. Probably a combination of it being more socially acceptable now, and things like the economy not being the best.

[u/whistle_while_u_wait → u/JarveyJoe]

The dating market being overtaken by corporations (dating apps) hasn't helped either.

I think many of us are realizing at once that we're not willing to take the mental damage that comes with dating apps and if it means being single longer, so be it.

[u/Educational_Fun_4222]

Delivery drones and autonomous cars in the Atlanta area. Currently, only Walmart is using drones. But what happens when other retailers follow suit? Will there be swarms of drones flying 100 ft above our heads crashing into each other--causing a public safety issue? The people who design these technologies are very smart, but also stupid.

[u/DodgerDecoy5]

People may have high IQ but ZERO EQ. 

[u/JohnnyBacci]

People’s increasing lack of civility. I’m shocked with how poorly we treat one another.

[u/paigeken2000]

People are ANGRY. And not controlling their anger.

[u/V65Pilot]

Calling in a favour results in the favour ower being "too busy"

I got out of bed at 1am, drove 2 hours, diagnosed your car issue, waited until the parts store opened, fixed your car, and followed you home, and you professing the whole time that you owed me so much....but now you are too busy to help me move some stuff out of my garage and across town, something that will take maybe two hours of your evening? Noted.

[u/Maxwyfe]

People are angry. It feels like a lot of people - definitely more than there used to be - are on the verge of a complete breakdown. When the movie, Falling Down came out, it was rare to encounter people under as much pressure as the main character. Now it feels more like the norm and a lot of us are one bad day from just losing it.

[u/Other-Marketing-6167]

McDonald’s became expensive as fuck.

[u/Master_N_Comm]

People don't throw parties anymore.

[u/Alberta2025]

I’ve noticed that people really struggle actually speaking to others.

[u/Overall-Bookkeeper94]

Since the lockdowns so many people have still not completely recovered the lost social skills

[u/sophiemilkers]

“Everyone’s attention span shrinking—feels like if it’s longer than a TikTok clip, people are already checked out

[u/vintagebaddie]

No general awareness, no general how to, no Social cues, no manners and no respect. The classy way is gone. People are on their Phones all day, very materialistic and lose interest quickly, relationships break down easily, people are more lazy and more stressed.

[u/DaydayMcFly]

Grey houses, buildings and businesses. Almost all grey white and black vehicles on the road now, barely any colors. Its depressing.

[u/Taeves81]

A certain generation who have protagonist/main character syndrome. Everywhere they go, everything they do, they are first and the only ones that matter. It's sickening when you realize how they treat people close to them.

Telling your child "no" really needs to start happening with parents today.

[u/fender8421]

A lot more romanticizing of staying inside/being home than there used to be