Why are people in general so impatient?

Question

I was at a local retail business and there were 3 cashiers open at 7am. There were only 3 of us in line at one cashier and 2 customers each in the other 2 lines. A lady who was second in line was already complaining they should open another cashier! I mean, she was next. I'd been waiting longer than her, she's only been there something like a minute! Why do people think they should have their own personal cashier evertime they go to the store? When I go out to buy something, I already know that I might have to wait in line. If there was a lot more customers I could understand her complaint. What's with our society?

Answer 1

Cause people complain about everything. It doesnt matter what's happening some people just have to complain. Its too hot or too cold. People act like 2 year olds if they aren't catered to all the time. But they expect to be forgiven and cut some slack from everyone else of course when they fall short. We lack courtesy and are abundant with selfishness. A little more patience and a little more kindness could go a long way in this world. We all expect something for nothing.

Answer 2

Truthfully, I think all of the technology that has made our lives so much easier is what's making us so rude! We now have cable with 150+ channels at our fingertips. We've got video on demand (remember having to WAIT for a movie to come on HBO?). There's ATM's so there's no more going to the bank, fax machines, cell phones - so you can make that phone call right away, microwaves so you don't have to actually spend time cooking; take-out everything (in case you can't wait for the microwave) e-mail and of course, the internet -- and dial-up is no good anymore, it's got to be high-speed broadband. Remember waiting for letters or a shipment in the mail? Over. Fax it. Send it UPS Same-day.

We are creating a society where EVERYTHING you could ever want is available at your fingertips with the simple push of a button. And that's fantastic. I love the technology that we have available to us, and there's a benefit to it. The problem now is that because we're so accustomed to this bigger, better, faster NOW mentality, people actually can't wait in a line for 60 seconds. Whatever did these same people do before the self-checkout in a grocery store or worse - life before the electronic scanners?

Yeah, life was slower, but people were nicer! Where are we all hurrying to, anyway?

Answer 3

And, there is always someone out there who just needs an extra dose of attention, even if it is negative attention. We are a "me" society anyway, and some people just want more than their share. No one seems to be able to wait for anything. I do not mind standing in line, I budget my time carefully to allow for delays. I often welcome the time, I go over my list, make sure I got everything, plan the next stop on my list of errands, plan supper, there are the ingredients right in front of me, in the cart.. Sometimes, I do just what the retailer wants me to do, and look at the items they have for sale at the check-out, LOL. Sometimes I stand there and daydream, or do some people watching. It's fun to see what people have bought, and guess about their lifestyle. It's called stopping to smell the roses, something most people do not choose to do, or have time for, anymore.

Answer 4

This is just my theory, not an actual conclusion to a scientific study as to the reasons why people in society have grown to be more and more impatient. Much of the technology we use today ie. internet pay, drive- thru windows at the bank and fast food restaurants, cellular phones, travel by airplane, are invented for the sake of convenience. The growing population counteracts their purposes, which frustrates the vast majority of us who are accustomed to a fast-paced lifestyle. We buy into anything that includes the description, "fast" ( fast results, quick service, express mail). It is my opinion that over time, we have grown accustomed to fully embrace (and be spoiled by) the short-cuts they [ technological advances] have allowed us. These factors may play a key role as to why we have become much less tolerable to the inconvenience of waiting in lines. The lady you mentioned may or may not have had an extensive to-do list or a deadline to meet. Perhaps she didn't, and was a prime example of an impatient, convenience-obsessed member of society.

Answer 5

My friend, it is the hustle-bustle, hurry-hurry-hurry, dog chasing it's own tail, ad-infinitum kind of thing. We are such a hurried bunch of ants that we have forgotton about the good things in life, like fellowship with others, community, charity. People are becoming harder-shelled and self-absorbed as a general rule while the world keeps upping the pace it forces them to accomodate just to keep up. People too busy to be civil and nice to each other? Hah! NEVER in my world. Jesus came to serve a broken world...she can WAIT to buy her groceries!!!! :(

Answer 6

I believe our society as a whole has become a ME society. Most people seem to believe they are more important than the next, their time is more valuable, and their needs should come first. I think the whole world needs to stop, take a big breath and just chill.

Answer 7

I agree with Witchy Woman. It is sad that those who complain are the ones who wouldn't lift a finger to make things better for themselves. They're also the ones who blame everyone else for their misfortunes.

Answer 8

It's not everywhere. We in the US are much more impatient than others around the world. We want everything instantly!

Answer 9

Everything is quicker nowadays. Hi speed internet, 3 min. microwave meals etc. So they think people should get faster too. I wonder how slow they are at their jobs?

Answer 10

People are in such a hurry. I live in California, and my sister lives in Ohio. When she came to visit in 2004, she asked me "Why are so many drivers so angry?" I guess people back east are nicer drivers.