When dating back to the old times, people argue that we, as human kind, were friendlier than we are now, indicating that they are not being treated the same as they used to be. Is this a matter of fact, or just an illusion? I believe it is merely our nostalgia that drives us to this irrational impulse, and people have not become less friendly in recent times.
Admittedly, sometimes we are not being treated in a mild and kind manner, and we do suffer some rude and unfriendly encounters. But this does not necessarily mean that people in the past would not receive this sort of treatment. It is well known, in some psychoanalysis, that people have a inclination to eliminate bad experiences, experiences that made them feel unhappy. Memories of people being unfriendly obviously belong to this group. Gradually people would forget the unhappy experiences, and what remain are those happy memories, such as a friend's smile, flowers from lovers, and total unexpected help from a stranger. These beautiful recollections stay, and those bad ones slowly fade away. Therefore, what we remember of the old days are only wonderful experiences, while we do have a more comprehensive understanding of the recent life. I believe it is one of the major reasons why we tend to perceive people becoming less friendly.
In addition, the circumstances are becoming progressively better, comparing the old times. Citizens are increasingly conscious of the significance of friendly attitude that would contribute to the modern society. As in a documentary on lesbian rights, I see more and more people in favor of these civil rights campaigns, rather than those anti-lesbian communities. Acceptance of the minority from the society has enhanced more than ever, and a recent legal approval of homosexual marriage in NYC has strengthened this viewpoint. Furthermore, the "Free Hug" movement has happened in a lot of places on this planet, as people on the streets randomly offer hugs to strangers who would accept their warmth and friendliness. And those are strong evidence, demonstrating that the society is getting increasingly friendly.
Therefore, I shall conclude that people are not getting less friendly in recent days, on the contrary, much more hospitality and friendliness are happening right now.
