Where's the politeness?

Something that I have a really had time understanding is our society today and how people act. It seems as if every time I leave the house, whether it's to go to work, the grocery store or a restaurant, I am guaranteed to run into rude, self-absorbed and entitled people. Where is the respect? Where is the politeness? It don't seem to exist anymore.

I was inspired to write about politeness because of a book I'm reading called Talk to the Hand by a British author named Lynne Truss. It's a book about rudeness in today's society. In her book she lists 20 reasons to show special politeness to other people (I feel this goes for children as well as adults). The reasons are:

1. they are older

2. they know more than you do

3. they know less than you do

4. they got here first

5. they have educational qualifications in the subject under discussion

6. you are in their home

7. they once helped you financially

8. they have been good to you all your life

9.. they are less fortunate than you

10. they have achieved status in the wider world

11. you are serving them in a shop

12. they are in the right

13. they are your boss

14. they work for you

15. they are a policeman/teacher/doctor/judge

16. they are in need

17. they are doing you a favor

18 they paid for the ticket

19. you phoned them, not the other way around

20 they have a menial job.

Really, how hard is it to be polite?