Is There a Rudeness Crisis in America?

Rudeness Crisis in America

Nearly half of U.S. adults say people today are ruder than they were before the COVID-19 pandemic, raising the question of whether America is experiencing a full-blown civility crisis. A Pew Research Center survey conducted in late 2024 found that 47 percent of respondents believe public behavior has declined since the pandemic, with one in five saying it’s “a lot ruder.” Another 44 percent said nothing has changed, while just 9 percent believed people are more polite today. The poll also found that more than one-third of adults regularly witness rude behavior in public, and nearly half say it happens at least “sometimes.” Behaviors viewed as especially unacceptable include smoking near strangers, photographing people without permission, bringing children into adult-only spaces, cursing aloud, and displaying profanity in public.

Experts say this spike in perceived rudeness may be less about a sudden moral collapse and more about the convergence of stress, distraction, and shifting social norms. Etiquette expert Lizzie Post, the great-great-granddaughter of Emily Post, argues that what many people call rudeness is really a “crisis of attention.” Phones, screens, and constant multitasking have eroded our ability to remain present with one another, creating the impression of thoughtlessness or disrespect. Christine Porath, a professor at the University of North Carolina, ties the trend to mounting stress and societal anxiety, pointing to her research that shows customer-facing employees report rudeness at far higher rates now than a decade ago.

This is not the first time Americans have worried about declining manners. Similar anxieties were recorded in the 1990s, long before smartphones and social media dominated daily life. Still, experts caution that while rudeness may not be objectively worse, public tolerance for it has eroded. The pandemic amplified this shift, unleashing anger and frustration in public spaces, from customer service meltdowns to violent confrontations over masks and distancing. Incivility also tends to spread: studies show that once people encounter rude behavior, they’re more likely to replicate it themselves, creating a cycle that reinforces negative interactions.

The consequences of rudeness ripple far beyond personal irritation. Research shows that incivility can undermine cooperation, dampen productivity, and even impair cognitive performance. In workplaces, it damages morale and increases burnout. In communities, it chips away at trust and makes civic engagement harder. That’s why experts say reversing the trend requires more than nostalgia for “better times.” Instead, they argue for intentional modeling of respectful behavior, reinforcement of politeness when it occurs, and a broader cultural push toward empathy and presence in our interactions.

So is America really ruder? Public opinion suggests yes, but the deeper truth may be that Americans are less attentive, more stressed, and quicker to notice discourtesy. The real crisis isn’t necessarily about declining morals—it’s about an erosion of focus and connection. Whether in South Florida or anywhere else across the country, restoring civility will require not just better manners, but a renewed commitment to paying attention to one another.