The Space Invaders:
Is America Becoming More Rude?

...You have heard the term, “in your face.” We have all been there. Someone is standing to close. Is it a cultural phenomenon, a power move, rudeness or just plain social skill ignorance? If you answered yes to any of these explanations, you are right!
...Anthropologist Edward T. Hall in his landmark book, The Silent Dimension, formalized the study of personal space. We all operate in a level of comfort within a certain personal space. This is our body buffer zone. We can define it when someone invades it!
New York Times columnist Stephanie Rosenbloom (November 16, 2006 “In Certain Circles, Two is a Crowd”) claimed there are several explanations for these invasions. She suggests we are getting crowded with the US climbing above 300 million and urban corridors are becoming denser.
...Personal space involves not only the invisible bubble around the body, but all the senses. Eye contact, olfactory and the ability “to reach out and touch someone” are impacted.
...I would like to add another explanation for these space invaders (if one more person breathes down my neck when I am signing my credit card slip at the grocery check out line or bumps me with their shopping cart, I am going to scream!). We are all moving to fast and I concur with the popular belief that America is becoming rude!
...Slow down and give people their personal space!

DID YOU CATCH THIS?
Audrey’s article
“What Were They Thinking?
Sexual Harassment is Alive and Well in the Workplace! “
In Success Magazine published by the Society of Human Resource Management, Fall 2006.