KANSAS CITY - A new survey by the Pew Research Center shows that almost half of Americans feel like we've become ruder over the last five years, especially in public.
Of those surveyed, 47% say the way people behave in public these days is ruder than before the COVID-19 pandemic. That includes 20% who say behavior today is a lot ruder.
In addition, about a third of adults (34%) say they almost always or often see people behaving rudely when they go out in public these days, while another 46% see this sometimes.
Which kinds of behavior do Americans find unacceptable in public?
Of the eight actions included in the survey, two in particular draw the widest disapproval: 77% of adults say it’s rarely or never acceptable to smoke around other people, and 74% say the same about taking a photo or video of someone without asking for their permission.
Around two-thirds of adults or more say that it’s rarely or never acceptable to bring a child into a place that’s typically for adults, such as a bar or upscale restaurant (69%); to visibly display swear words, such as on a T-shirt or sign (66%); or to curse out loud in public (65%).
Smaller majorities say it’s rarely or never acceptable to play music out loud (59%) or wear headphones or earbuds while talking to someone, such as a shopkeeper, in person (57%). On both questions, sizable shares say it depends: 32% say it’s sometimes acceptable to play music out loud, and 26% say this about wearing headphones while talking to someone.
Of the behaviors we asked about, Americans’ opinions are most divided on whether it’s acceptable to bring a pet into an indoor space such as a grocery store or shop. Fewer than half say that this is rarely or never acceptable (45%). Four-in-ten say that it’s sometimes acceptable to do this, and 14% say that it is usually or always acceptable.