Manners and Rules

So I was talking to a friend about the post I wrote regarding the cops and security guards all over the place, and she mentioned something I wanted to expound upon here; she said the people where we live don't really police themselves either.

I told her flat out: it's not even remotely comparable.

Then she mentioned that she thought it was, albeit on a much lower level. We began discussing what goes on at our community pool: the parents who don't discipline their kids, the people that move or take your things without asking, the bargaining and/or screaming that goes on with certain parents and their kids...the list goes on.

I rolled it around inside my head a little. The truth is, we don't need an actual police officer where we live to ensure that things go smoothly and no one gets hurt. But we could sure use an Etiquette Officer or a Rules Enforcer...or perhaps we can employ the Manners Police.

Obviously, I've been thinking a lot about my Grandmother this week, but the sad truth is that most of the stuff that goes on today would not fly in my Grandmother's generation. Why is that? What have we allowed...as a society? What's acceptable in one neighborhood that might not be acceptable in another?

And would my neighborhood be a different place if it was more of a police state?

I know...deep questions for a Friday! If you feel the urge to comment, go for it...especially the cops that read me...I'd love to toss this one around a bit.