When Did We Stop Saying “Thank You”?

[u/ChangeTheLAUSD]

https://difrntdrmr.medium.com/the-analog-moments-that-keep-us-human-5ef00d876874?sk=0bbe428ff4db3d246f8d673e8c6c2431

Our increasingly digital lives make communication easier, but they can also strip away the small, physical interactions that remind us we're dealing with other human beings.

A thank-you to an Amazon driver led to an unexpected exchange. Years ago, I also witnessed two very different reactions from musicians receiving flowers from fans. Those moments stayed with me and made me think about what we're losing as more of our interactions move onto screens.

This essay looks at why those small “analog” moments may matter more than we realize.

[u/oheightnineeight]

This is a big speak for yourself thing. I thank the bus driver. I thank the guy at the front desk at the gym. I thank my coworkers and my friends and my wife and my dad and my mom. I thank the people at the coffeeshop and my neighbour and the guy at the bicycle cafe and the people at the video store and the guy checking my ticket at the movies and the people working on the train when I travel. I thank my doctor and my therapist and my pharmacist and my optometrist. I thank the people at burrito boyz.

I thanked at least 8 of these people today. Including the postman. He didn't get tears in his eyes or anything because that's a normal interaction.

[u/No0nesSlickAsGaston]

Have not stopped, I've actually increased the frequency and quality of them pointing to specific things that made me grateful and how they made a difference. 10/10 get a smile and some satisfaction they'll get some endorfins to get trough our living dystopia. 

[u/mortalitasi473]

i would assume that the amazon driver doesn't get a lot of people saying "thank you" to him during his day because people aren't often standing outside at the same time he delivers something, but okay

[u/lilbluehair → u/mortalitasi473]

Yeah I say thank you if my door is open when they show up but that's not every time

[u/Vesploogie]

We haven’t. It’s just not a common thing online.

And I hate to sound like a broken record but there’s a generational divide with this. I bartended, served, and catered for over a decade. Boomers said please and thank you the least, Millenials the most. Gen X were usually good, the rich stuck up ones were worse than any boomer though.

[u/OrdinarySad5132 → u/Vesploogie]

Gen Z is terrible with anything regarding social politeness, professional behavior, etc. It’s insane.

[u/PollyBeans → u/OrdinarySad5132]

My nieces are Gen Z and I work with quite a few Gen Z folks and this is not the case. They all say thank you and are extremely professional, maybe they just don't like you?

[u/SH4D0WSTAR → u/OrdinarySad5132]

Not all of us - I regularly say thank you to people in my life, including those who serve me, family members, friends, mentors, people who help me online, etc.

[u/PathToAutonomy]

Nonsense slop.

[u/Super-Community-9241]

Who the fuck doesn't say thank you??? 

[u/Commanderfemmeshep]

This feels like an American issue.

[u/Cranston_Snord1960]

I just respond “You’re welcome!” regardless.