What Happened To Common Courtesy And Respect?

You know what I don't understand? I don't understand what happened to common courtesy and respect. Is it just me, or are the vast majority of our friends and neighbors terribly self centered anymore? Take these examples under consideration:

• As a student nurse, I have witnessed fellow students talk among themselves, play on their phones, and literally sleep during class lectures. Shouldn't the instructors be respected enough to have their students pay attention during class? I myself teach an occasional EMS class and have been subjected to the same treatment, and I find it personally and professionally offensive. I would expect my nursing instructors share the same opinion.
• During runs with my fire department, I have been verbally accosted by patients and bystanders as have fellow EMTs and police officers. What happened to respecting a badge and respecting public servants?
• Have you noticed how many of our neighbors don't seem to be able to see past the ends of their own noses? It is as if the entire universe is them, their family, and their little world while nothing else matters. Why do we no longer reach out to help our fellow men? Why do we no longer extend a hand to those in need and less fortunate than we? Do we not realize we are all in this together?
• While driving on the highways and byways of North Central Indiana, I have recently seen a person who was driving east move into westbound traffic in order to bypass a work zone, a person intentionally drive in a closed lane, so they could pass those of us with the common sense to move into the lane that was actually open, just so the person could cut into the open lane with about ten feet to spare causing a near collision, and a driver nearly hitting an elderly pedestrian who had the right of way because the driver was too involved in her cell phone conversation to notice the gentleman trying to lawfully cross the street.
• Political and social commentary, especially online, is hateful, vicious, mean spirited, and personally insulting. (Before I am accused of hypocrisy, I myself am guilty of this from time to time, but I am trying to avoid behaving in this way.) What became of thoughtful, civil discourse and debate? As a society, we find Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Keith Olbermann, and Lawrence O'Donnell acceptable? What happened to George Will, David Brooks, Mark Shields, and EJ Dionne?
• We are rude to each other. We treat those with whom we disagree with utter disdain and disrespect. We curse at each other. We degrade each other. We are more concerned with what we have and how we can keep it than we are with uplifting the downtrodden and contributing to the common good.

I don't know, friends and frenemies. I am concerned about the state of our society and of mankind as a whole. I fear if we do not start treating each other with more courtesy, with more respect, with more civility and with more dignity, we will soon destroy each other and ourselves. I am curious as to your thoughts on this matter, dear readers. Please feel free to comment.

Peace and love, my brothers and sisters.