It was yesterday as I was listening to several employees answer their telephones at a State office that it came to me. There is a generational divide between those who say "you're welcome" when thanked and those whose best reply is "no problem". I'm thinking that the "no problem" generation was mostly born after about 1980, although the cut-off date may be a few years earlier.
I'm thinking that Marge Gunderson (of "Fargo") would have said "all righty, then" which probably would be a good compromise, midway between the angst-ridden "no problem" favored by the young and the possibly overly cordial "you're welcome" that many of the rest of us use.
would you prefer (insert quotes from Blazing Saddles here)?
I alternate between them but try to consciously never use "no problem" relating to something I'm charging for, with the thought that, "If it's no problem then why did you charge for it?" But then I'm probably over thinking it.
I predate 1980 by four years.
> would you prefer (insert quotes from Blazing Saddles here)?
Well, the premise of "no problem" is that the speaker is so poorly adapted to the demands of life that any sort of interaction is at best highly problematic. So "no problem" is the best outcome possible, almost cordial in their strangled view of the world.
> I predate 1980 by four years.
It may well be that the cut-off is having an earliest memory around 1980.
I heard a late night radio show about this very thing.
A highly successful business and author had some interesting opinions.
His suggestion that "you're welcome" may invite more things. And "no problem" might indicate that what you did meant little and would again invite more work.
His suggestion was more in line with a "pay it forward" attitude.
He prefers to say "I'm sure you would do the same for someone else". That puts the ball back in the receiver's court to go do something for someone else.
I kind of liked his thinking on that. He was an interesting guy.
post-1980 cranial rectumitis
I've noticed similar behavior...and you're age estimate is pretty close to my observations also.
Professional telephone etiquette and even simple social skills seemed to have slipped through the cracks somewhere...
I recently stopped at a burger joint for lunch and I don't do that often. Being not so familiar with the menu I was looking up when the counter help came and stood behind their side of the register. I was kind of waiting for someone to say something like "can I help you, sir?"...but that didn't happen.
I looked down from the menu into one eye of a young lady with orange hair. I couldn't see the other eye because her bangs were covering half her face. She had nostrils pierced and more crap than a pincushion stuck in the one ear I could see. And her mouth was gaping wide.
"So, do you like...want somethin' ?", was her address to me..with her mouth still hanging open.
I got my cheeseburger and fries and left. I'm just happy she wasn't the cook. B-)
post-1980 workers
You shoulda seen the cook! Orange hair gal was the one presentable enough to work the counter. :'(
I was born in 1974
I use "no problem" quite frequently and have never thought that someone might take it in the manner you describe.
In fact if they did, I surely wouldn't be going out of my way for them in the future.
When I use "no problem", I many times follow up with "any time", "just feel free to give me a call if you need ANY further assistance", "I'd be glad to help", "your not putting me out, it 's my job and I'm glad to help".
I think you may be too cynical about the generations below you. I've got 2 great kids and they will not be branded in a negative way just because some older generation thinks the world is going to pot.
When you get right down to it, who really is to blame? The children that inherited this country or the parents and grandparents that were responsible before them?
Anti-establishment baby boomers turning into crotchety old folks, LOL.
Why back in my day, sonny, we said you're welcome and yes sir...
Get off my lawn.
> I use "no problem" quite frequently and have never thought that someone might take it in the manner you describe.
Yeah, the premise of the "no problem" people is that any sort of interaction is potentially problematic. I mean, any sort of common courtesy can so easily escalate. You hold a door open for someone and the next thing you know, they expect you to follow them around as their personal doorperson, right?
The thirty-something State employees agreed that "you're welcome" suggested that the caller could just call anytime to ask a question, but "no problem" meant that the services was complete.
All righty, then.
Kent, I'll admit. You are apparently too clever for my feeble mind.
Thank you very much.
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I use both equally. It depends on the situation. If I am acting as southern gentleman and hold a door for someone and they say thank you, I usually use ‘no problem”.
This evening, I gave the young Honduran striker on the Jr H.S. soccer team a piece of fine chocolate after the game. He recently moved here and speaks very little English. He scored a hat trick in a 3-3 draw against a good team. He said “Thank You and I said De Nada.
> I use both equally. It depends on the situation. If I am acting as southern gentleman and hold a door for someone and they say thank you, I usually use ‘no problem”.
Okay, wouldn't that really be a Southern New Jersey gentleman answer or is that "Yeah, you're freakin' welcome."
North Jersey non-verbal communication
would have been a slight nod of the head or a flick of the wrist meaning "get your a$$ moving though the door, I have other things to do"
Kent - I agree with your analogy about the age factor in the use of the term, but I also noticed that it seemed to originate in larger cities. The use of the phrase arrived here with the college students that came to school here from Houston and Dallas. They also blessed us with other phrases such as "Oh, my bad" instead of "I'm sorry" or "...my fault" and "it is what it is" for "I'm sorry but that's the way it is" and "Really?" which seems to be used for just about anything when their brain tends to be stuck between gears. They also showed us how to speed through very red lights and then when they found out we didn't have cameras at the intersections, chain red light running where two or more cars running bumper to bumper (5 cars is the record) speed through red lights with such precision that it would make a Vietnam Huey pilot green with envy.
Needless to say, the use of the term "no problem" or "my bad" is not acceptable in my office, especially during telephone conversations with clients.
I can hear Teddy Roosevelt now, discussing how the country is going to spit because these young whippersnappers are saying you're welcome rather than indubitably. 😛
Indubitably doesn't mean "you're welcome" either...;-)
