“You’re stupid.”

“Look who’s talking!”

“Wow. That hurts.”

“You’ll get over it.”

“I don’t think I will.”

“Oh, well, I don’t actually care, so…”

That, my friends, is a typical Ariel-and-Isabelle conversation.

Why are we so mean to each other? I spent the entire French class being made fun of by Isabelle and parrying her insults in return. Lots of it was fun teasing and stuff, but it got downright rude…yet we just kept on laughing! Like it was funny that I stabbed her with a pencil and that she told me I had belly blubber!

Which, for the record, is entirely untrue; I’ve heard many a time that I have legit abs.

Back in the olden days, people would make conversation by discussing the weather and their parents’ health. Not particularly interesting, but it filled the time and was polite. They were happy! When they were in private, maybe a few hurtful words were exchanged, but they always had on a good, polite, and civilized face in public. And they’d even have classes on it!

Not so today, ladies and gentlemen. People feel comfortable yelling, abusing each other, and even fighting each other in front of a large portion of the student body. And it’s not even considered impolite (mostly) because that’s just how our society works.

I think our school as a whole would benefit greatly from an etiquette class. None of this ridiculous insult throwing back and forth! Oh, no! We would be kind and witty without needing to put others down to do so.

But, alas and alack, I fear we are to stay as rude as ever. It’s okay, though, because it really is highly entertaining.