The Split Second-In Consideration of Others

I am getting some nice feedback from my friends about my book, The Split Second:  In Consideration of Others or Look Up from the Phone and How to Deal with Rudeness in Others, but I wonder if the general public will be interested. I would appreciate all comments on Facebook or my website: rwblakeauthor.com. Thanks.

The initial motivation for me to write this book took place one day about seven years while I was standing outside my classroom after having many thoughts raced in my mind for years on this subject.  Between class periods and I was welcoming students into my classroom and monitoring the halls as teachers do at that time in the school day.  Two young ladies walked by and probably did not notice me standing where I was or even cared that much.  One said to the other (and I am doing my best to keep this clean and decent) “F**k you, B**ch!! . . . . . .  Don’t call me, B**ch!”  The pause between the statements is noteworthy and this was not a joke or laced with any humor whatsoever.  The speaker meant what she said, and this was painfully obvious.  But it had me thinking and as one can tell, this still weighs on my mind.  Have we become a society whose members want to be treated with the utmost respect but do not want to give respect to others whatsoever?  I leave that as a question.

When I was a disciplinary dean in another school,  I dealt with a student sent down to my office by his teacher. I knew the student well and had been his teacher previously.  I asked him why the teacher sent him down and he replied, “He don’t respect me.”  Yes, he did not speak with proper grammar at that moment but the point here is that he felt a teacher, or a superior should respect him first. I told him and I have told many students that if one demands respect from others and refuses to give any in return until that respect is offered, he/she will have a difficult life getting along with others.

No, it was not right for the lady to curse out her friend and use the same name her friend had called her. I even hope the reader sees a bit of humor in that one. Strangely enough, I have had two people mock the concept of  “In Consideration of Others”  (yes, that is not my original thought) which does take me aback a bit.  My thoughts pose the question, why can’t we initiate treating others with decency, kindness, and respect.  Those ideas just may be returned and if not, then we can have the satisfaction of having “taken the higher road.”  Please think about this. Thanks.