Quoting Wulfric:

I'm inclined to agree with you to a certain extent.  I think society as a whole is getting meaner, but when you break it down to individual regions, some aren't as bad as others.  In places like New york City where the population is condensed, the city never sleeps, and stress is the motiff of the day, people generrally tend to be meaner.  It's something they grow up learning based ont he behavior of everyone around them.
For example, I was on a college field trip in New york and we stopped to ask for directions at a gas station.  The guy standing behind us was very impatient and made a very crude comment.  It wasn't necessary, and it had nothing to do with us being from out of town, just that we were impeding his day.  It's not our fault.
I come from the south where life is a little more laid back.  People fish.  People relax on a beach.  You can see the sky, there is nature.  I think that counts for a lot.  It's more spread out and you can find your solitude if you need it.  Granted our highways are ridiculous and filled with random acts of road rage, but overall, Florida's pretty mellow.
I think a lot of it has to do with the decline in the education system.  As the cost of living has gotten higher, more people have had to go to work to make ends meet, leaving their children at home unattended.  So without parental supervision the kids get away with a lot more.  Those kids grow up learning that behavior and pass it on to their own kids.  The cycle begins again and gets a little bit worse.  There are a lot of factors involved, but in my opinion, it seems like I see it every day. 
So as people are less educated, as they pass that behavior on, kids learn it's okay to be mean. 

I'm inclined to agree with you to a certain extent.  I think society as a whole is getting meaner, but when you break it down to individual regions, some aren't as bad as others.  In places like New york City where the population is condensed, the city never sleeps, and stress is the motiff of the day, people generrally tend to be meaner.  It's something they grow up learning based ont he behavior of everyone around them.
For example, I was on a college field trip in New york and we stopped to ask for directions at a gas station.  The guy standing behind us was very impatient and made a very crude comment.  It wasn't necessary, and it had nothing to do with us being from out of town, just that we were impeding his day.  It's not our fault.
I come from the south where life is a little more laid back.  People fish.  People relax on a beach.  You can see the sky, there is nature.  I think that counts for a lot.  It's more spread out and you can find your solitude if you need it.  Granted our highways are ridiculous and filled with random acts of road rage, but overall, Florida's pretty mellow.
I think a lot of it has to do with the decline in the education system.  As the cost of living has gotten higher, more people have had to go to work to make ends meet, leaving their children at home unattended.  So without parental supervision the kids get away with a lot more.  Those kids grow up learning that behavior and pass it on to their own kids.  The cycle begins again and gets a little bit worse.  There are a lot of factors involved, but in my opinion, it seems like I see it every day. 
So as people are less educated, as they pass that behavior on, kids learn it's okay to be mean.