Some would argue that in times past most people went to church or synagog, and were at least lectured once a week about behaving themselves. Less travel, and people living their entire lives among the same community of people reduced it too - I agree with you that shameless behavior (for example, dressing up in all black, including masks, and smashing windows/doors/heads using the excuse that any ideas they disagree with need to be obliterated) seems to be happening more often, and is more accepted. The G 20 riots in Germany are a good example.

Jackie

I think Trump and his followers have really demonstrated a lowered level of education and sophistication in our country. They revel in vulgarity and lack of intelligence and crudity and bigotry. Europe, Canada, Australia and Scandinavia are way ahead now.

I very much doubt this is "new" behavior, but we get to see it more often because of the ever-present cameras, making it seem more conspicuous.

The "old guard" of cinema celebrities is a gold mine of such behavior - just look up James Brown, Jim Morrison, Grace Slick, Marlon Brando, Joan Crawford - the list is endless. They all have something to offer that makes LeBeouf look like an amateur!

Recently I learned that I was not alone in tossing the Facebook ap. These folks also cited the incivility of the interactions with wholesale labeling and denigrating of other's beliefs or positions that is just too depressing. It seems this is just a variation on prejudice. I feel fortunate to have friends with vastly differing opinions. My desire is an acceptance to hear alternative viewpoints that will expand my knowledge and hopefully their knowledge of my views. We can learn from one another. It does not require, nor should it accept excuses; rather, each of us has the responsibility to act if we desire change toward civil behavior. Considerate discussion is the key, not to enact a change of position, but to achieve an understanding of each other's opinion. To which, I am reminded of a quote, 'A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still.'

To some extent I do believe that the kind of behavior we engage in trickles down from the top. Many hateful and unlawful actions that we are seeing now would have been shocking before last November. And yet how quickly things changed afterwards, and so much that was unthinkable before is now an everyday occurrence. I've always thought that a good education and traveling to foreign countries and being introduced to different cultures and ideas were very important ingredients in having a civilized culture of one's own. These are things that we seem to have less of than ever. It's not so much religion as a sense of ethics, which necessarily includes proper behavior, that we seem to be lacking.

When they were young, my kids loved watching Even Stevens, the Disney show LeBeouf starred in during his youth. How sad that he's turned out to be an ill-mannered, disrespectful thug. I don't understand the lust for fame. Most do not wear it well. On the other end of the spectrum, I just watched Timothy shriver accept the Arthur Ashe courage award on behalf of his mother, Eunice. What an inspirational speech he gave about acceptance and equality for all.

Agree with all. About convincing through discussion, it's great when it works, but a fair number of people don't have the analytical skills necessary to weigh an argument. Others will discuss, but without any willingness to be convinced--no open mind--but wanting only to convince. In some cases only modeling the behavior you believe in has a chance of succeeding.

Politics is a circle: far left and far right--violence, intolerance--meet.

Much shameless behavior has nothing to do with politics, and has been happening LONG before last Nov.! Bad behavior by celebrities (up to and including killing themselves with drugs) has been happening all of my life. In my experience, in my lifetime it started in the 1960s, when what had been considered "proper" behavior went out the window for many people. It has been getting worse and worse ever since. I think of course this has been happening in cultures periodically throughout history - it is a pendulum. Read the Old Testament for the lamentations of how the "people" have become sinful!

I agree that our modern instant revelations of everything has made it seem worse, and different from times past - perhaps it is just that we hear about awful behavior constantly, where before much of it was hushed up, and certainly not discussed in "polite" company (see, the language used has even changed).

Jackie

While I am TOTALLY NOT CONDONING his actions, and agree that they are dispicable, this is clearly an unhappy and perhaps mentally ill man. He is an addict and has been in trouble since he was very young. We don't know what demons he has faced, past and present. His behavior IS terrible. I hope he gets the help he so obviously needs. This is likely to be an unpopular comment. I'm not defending what he did, but the man clearly is miserable and needs professional help. I hope he is willing to get it. Lisa

This isn't something new. The civility level has been sinking for some time now. But the pendulum tends to swing both ways. Unfortunately it will probably swing us right back into the dark ages too. I truly wish that everyone would just get some plain old common sense and good manners along with some tolerance and acceptance so we could all just behave like civilized adults and get along with each other in peace. Yeah, like that's gonna happen, lol!

I guess people seek their own level and try to normalize it.

Lisa, I think you are right, and actually I didn't mean so much to single out this one individual.Besides,it's not like he's the head of the US government,for example ,so his grotesque behaviour only hurts himself and those poor souls that are unlucky enough to care about him. What I find really distressing is the fact that standards have just become SO LOW for behaviour,as if common sense, decent manners,self-respect meant nothing.What ever happened to personal dignity? The capacity for self-criticism? I think you're right, Sheila. People with no integrity don't care if they have to lie to themselves and to others in order to justify themselves.

I don't know who Shia Le Beouf is. Should I feel ashamed of this??

When I was growing up everybody went to church there was the Golden Rule do unto others as you would have them do unto you . And then one day we began to believe that we were the most important people in the world and our needs came first and if it didn't happen the way I wanted it I had every right to throw a temper tantrum to get it.

I think the thing that made me so sad this week was that young employee paid for a cookie for a police officer and when the two people in line behind the police officer weren't treated with the same free cookie they had a huge fit and got that kid so upset that he was in tears .

When did we become such a selfish Society that a young man can't out of his own pocket buy something for someone and not have to buy it for everyone else . I cant imagine throwing a fit because someone was gifted something and I wasn't.

We seem to have lost compassion and empathy.

I didn't take any offense at your post, Bart. I know what you meant. I just try to apply that empathy and compassion that Kristine is talking about. PS Anna-Lyssa, he's an American actor in his early 30's who first became famous as a youngster for the lead role in the Disney series " Even Stevens". He later made other movies, but I can't think of them, now. He's also known for his really weird behavior, arrests, and drug and alcohol addiction. Lisa

Oh yes, a couple of the "Transformers" movies among others.

You are SO right, Kristine! It seems like there are just so many over-grown babies anymore...

"Entertainment"...we were shocked by madonna but little hannah montana miley cyrus puts on disgusting performances and no one bats an eye. Media chooses to portray abnormal behaviour as normal and the more disgusting the better. You had a woman politician running for president that was a proven liar, cheater and murderer yet she has plenty of people who think she should have won and still support her. People are upset over a man (who now IS President) who talked about grabbing women vs. a man who WAS president who actually DID it and while IN the oval office. No one seemed too upset then. Values have been turned upside down and you wonder what has happened and blame it on the " the present regime "????? You need to reassess and look beyond your nose.