Americans are getting ruder, according to recent findings from a Pew Research Center survey which reveals that 47 percent of Americans believe the way people behave in public is ruder than before the pandemic. According to the survey, 34 percent of respondents believe they “almost always or often see people behaving rudely” in public places. 

There were significant age gaps among respondents in more detailed questions related to the rudeness trends. More than 89 percent of adults over age 65 reported that it is rarely or never acceptable to curse out loud in public, compared to 38 percent of adults under 30 who said the same.

Meanwhile, 86 percent of adults 65 or older believe it is rarely or never acceptable to curse in public, compared to 42 percent of respondents 30 and under. Additionally, 76 percent of adults 65 or older do not feel it is acceptable to wear headphones or earbuds when talking to someone, compared with 36 percent of respondents 30 and under. 

Differences of opinion also existed between genders. For example, 78 percent of women said that taking a photo or video of someone in public without their consent is not okay, compared with 69 percent of men. 

Adults in higher-income households are more likely than adults with middle and lower incomes to offer different reactions. For example, 76 percent of adults in lower income brackets believe it’s okay to bring a child to a place that is typically for adults, compared with 68 percent of middle-income households and 62 percent of higher-income households.