What is wrong with people? It’s a question people have been asking themselves for several years now. Stories of customers being rude to local business staff, community members punching journalists in the face, and people getting shot when putting their boat in the water seem to have become the norm. (Okay, those last two only happened once, but still.)

So, seriously, what is wrong with people? A 2021 article in TIME says “Re-entry into polite society is proving to be a little bumpy...Americans appear to have forgotten their niceties, especially with those whose job it is to assist them.” Slate hypothesizes that a mixture of pandemic stress, social isolation, and violent political rhetoric have pushed people over the edge. Amy Alkon put it bluntly in a piece for Psychology Today: “We modern humans are a bunch of grabby, self-involved jerks, the same as generations of humans before us. It’s just that there are fewer constraints on our grabby, self-involved jerkhood than ever before.”

Unfortunately, all of those theories seem to contain nuggets of truth. And the people who have seen it all are working in the front lines of your favorite restaurants, which are already short-staffed and dealing with soaring food costs and supply chain issues. Some folks have tried taking a gentle approach, reminding customers to put their best foot forward. Others have had to take more drastic measures.

In this week's Northern Express, sister publication of The Ticker, local hospitality reps weigh in on what's happening and how they're trying to best protect their staff while still delivering a welcoming experience for customers. Plus, Shilo Smith, instructor of psychology at Northwestern Michigan College, lends some insight into why acts of unkindness are becoming more common...and why there still might be some reason for hope.

The Northern Express is available to read online, or pick up a free copy on newsstands at nearly 700 spots in 14 counties across northern Michigan.