When we are preparing our Rotary Youth Exchange students for a year abroad, it is important that they learn to accept different customs, foods, and ways of life. It is tempting to call our way “right” and any other way “wrong”. (Is this not true even among people of our same country or community?) We repeat the phrase “It’s not right; it’s not wrong; it’s just different” quite frequently with them. I have taken it on as one of my mantras. Food? Hair color? What someone does in their free time? No judging! Just different!
An article in The Rotarian from July entitled “Wishful Thanking” caught my attention. The writer described a transaction with a server at a coffee shop. “At the end of a casual transaction, …you accept your latte and courteously say, ‘Thank you.’ Your barista beams, graciously dips his man-bun and replies, ‘No problem.’ Who said there was a problem?... Who among us, when requesting the afternoon’s over-sized chocolate chip cookie, hasn’t worried that our craving might present a daunting obstacle to the operator of the cash register? ‘No problem’ calms those pangs.”
It took me a few weeks to settle my frustration with this writer and decide to give him a chance to redeem himself, so I finished reading the article. He was wishing for a courteous interchange, but ended up, instead, critiquing the use of a common colloquialism: “No problem” as well as an entire generation of young people! This article didn’t sit well with me and it goes back to the mores of Rotary found in the 4-Way Test. I was glad to see that the editor printed two rebuttals well-written by millennial Rotarians. I will not write an entire essay on the subject. I will, instead, put away the soapbox that I was about to climb upon and allow one of our young fellow-Rotarians from Pennsylvania to voice her opinion as it was printed in the current issue of The Rotarian (October, 2019). Unfortunately, the Viewpoints section of the Rotarian does not appear online, but here's the quote:
“As a millennial Rotarian who has spent many tedious years working in customer service, I was quite disappointed with the negative attitude toward service staff in “Wishful Thanking.” The writer describes a customer service experience that appears to be perfectly pleasant, aside
from the barista’s choice of phrase. Instead of “No problem,” which is described as minimalizing and transactional, the writer would prefer that his supposed appreciation be returned with an “I’m-at-your-command attitude” and the words “You’re welcome” from the “operator of the cash register.”
Regardless of whether it’s better etiquette to use certain phrases over others, the writer pokes fun at and expresses superiority over service staff – as well as millennials – throughout the column. As Rotarians, we are supposed to have committed ourselves to serving others and valuing humanity. The column is insensitive and demeaning to those who work hard to serve us. It perpetuates stereotypes about Rotarians regarding age and privilege.” - Addeline Alaniz Edwards.
We should be thanking youthful service staff, tipping good service, and hoping that one day they will join our local Rotary club in order to bring perspective and diversity.
