I Do

I Do Wonder

This morning as I listened to the recording, I thought, “That is quite an interesting comment on today’s society.”

I had dialed a familiar 800 phone number (one I use with regularity) for technical support. I have a paid subscription and obviously, it is my choice to initiate a request to speak to a representative.

I have subscribed to the well known service now for the past 8 or 9 years, and for the most part, have always been quite satisfied. There has been an occasional irritation, but I have never had a need to voice a complaint or regret having a subscription.

My calls are always answered by a robotic voice, unfailingly polite, as it requests routine information from the caller.

The automatic response has not deviated during the years of my contact with the support staff.

Until this morning, when the familiar voice requested that all callers be “kind and courteous” to the representative who will assist them once they have been connected.

And I was shocked.

Has the anger and anxiety spreading across the country now zeroed into mundane conversations with strangers?

Sadly, apparently it has and the once anticipated civility in communication has become a thing of the past.

Verbal abuse has obviously escalated far from what I dreaded and feared when a major company has now adjusted their opening message to request civility.

And might I dare to question if the recorded voice’s polite request will make a difference?

I am not quite certain it will.

Perhaps it is too late to stem the tide of rude verbal rhetoric which now seems to have become acceptable in normal conversation.

I hope I am wrong, but I do wonder.