Showing respect and courtesy

This was written on 4 April and scheduled to appear when I am in China.

There is a tendency for some people to be quite disrespectful when they post comments in the Internet. They make insults and personal attacks and interpret other people's views in a manner that is not logical or reasonable.

Sometimes, I wonder if these comments are from younger people who has not learned how to respect other people's views. Often, they pass judgment about other people that are unwarranted. I worry that this type of behavior could be due to our environment, which promotes the concept of "excellence", "me first" and a self-centered outlook.

But, I have also seen this type of behavior in older people, so it is not a reflection of the behavior of younger people. More likely, it is a reflection of our environment or, what I describe as "our culture".

I do not wish to be critical about our culture, and only wish to point it out, so that people realize that there is a need to show respect for the views of other people, and to avoid insults and personal attacks of a direct nature.  I hope that my views are taken in a positive light.