They’ll ask me to do something, and then a few seconds later they add, “Please, thank you,” as if they realized that they have to say it.
> boomers
How old are you? If you’re a teenager, your parents are Gen X or Millennials.
This is so weird… that I’m one of the parents now. Aging is a strange experience. As a 34 year old Millennial, I find life is consistently strange
This question lacks social context. Are we talking about USA, Canada, UK, France, China, Japan, Morocco, Australia, South Africa?
There are 7 billion people on earth with NUMEROUS cultures. To have a serious discussion we need to know the society in question.
Boomer is primarily an american term referring to american generations. I suppose you could try and apply it to “western” countries, but it definitely doesnt apply to places like China and Japan.
Your point still stands, but its not quite as lacking in context as you imply.
This is a sign that they truly believe it’s “the magic word.”
I think that’s the attitude. Please should mean something. Thank you should mean something. But when you grew up being told to say it just to get what you want, then that’s all it means to you.
Yup, this is my boomer mother exactly. Even told my nieces and nephew many times if you do something wrong just say it was an accident and nobody can be mad at you.
Nah not boomers. My parents are boomers (I’m not a teenager btw).
People their age usually know how to say please and thank you. Unless of course they are very upset, but, who doesn’t screw up when upset?
I think it’s just you
In my experience, in Latin America (or at least the chunk of the Southern Cone where I live), it’s pretty much the opposite: most boomers whom I interact with are fairly polite, and always make sure to say those “small words”. To the point of annoyance.
I won’t say “just” your parents, but that’s not the way the boomers I know do it … except possibly when making a point that someone else is being rude. ‘My’ boomers say, “May we have [x]” or “We’d like [x], please” and when they get said [x] they say “Thank you” or “That’s wonderful.”
If their request is ignored, they might emphasize that they’ve asked and were ignored by pointedly saying, “Please. Thank you.” – and say it in a curt manner to remind the other that a request has been made and no feedback has been given. Example: “We’d like you to take out the trash.” …(no reply)… (silence)… “Ahem. We’d LIKE YOU TO TAKE OUT THE TRASH, PLEASE. THANK YOU.”
