The Slow-Down Symptoms

There is a symptom that shows itself in many ways, with some cause for concern. It varies from petty stubbornness to prevailing progress—a symptom of deliberate “slowing down” as the saying goes, just to “show” someone. Sometimes this symptom is seen as pedestrians cross a street: students, young people, others also, deliberately slowing their pace, as a car approaches, perhaps to be contrary, perhaps to prove their prerogatives, perhaps just to register resentment. There are those who seemingly slow-down just to make the movement of traffic deliberately more difficult. (Parenthetically, it should also be said that sometimes drivers are also guilty of acts of inconsideration, as if a car changed all human values or made the person at the wheel somewhat superior—but that’s another subject). This “slow-down” symptom sometimes shows itself in people who serve in public places, who not only don’t want to be rushed, but who arbitrarily waste their own time and that of others needlessly making people wait, apparently wanting to emphasize their personal importance, and using this means to prove their point. Sometimes this seems to be merely stubborn pettiness. Sometimes it goes deeper: to indifference, defiance, disrespect. But whatever else, it is at least discourtesy. And the loss of what was once called “common courtesy” is an alarming symptom in and of itself. In living in the world together, we owe each other courtesy, respect, consideration, and in all of the give and take of life, those who are deliberately discourteous, those who impede, others by slowing them down for the wrong reason should take another look at themselves. May God give us the gift of courtesy and consideration for others, so that we may not feel the meanness of petty, stubborn that defiantly or foolishly slows down the pace of people or uselessly impedes progress.