According to the pundits, we've become a nation of rude people. Obnoxious, churlish, impolite, discourteous, boorish, uncivil and ill-mannered.

The recent actions of three public figures would seem to support the theory. Congressman Joe Wilson's Presidential-interuptus, Kanye West's "moment" theft, and Serena Williams' courtside rant had everyone chattering about rudeness.

Some blame the Internet, which has made anonymous badgering an art form. Others blame talk radio and cable television news. Still others say it's the economy and the national grimace we've been stuck in the past couple of years. And some say it's just part of a downward spiral that started in our infancy when our parents didn't teach us to share, to say thank you or to wipe our mouths after eating.

Whatever the reason, it would seem that rudeness begets rudeness. Someone cuts you off in traffic, you tailgate them. Someone slights you, you slight someone in return.

As we have traveled the rudeness road from Don Rickles to Don Imus, we become aware of varying levels of rudeness. Being snippy with a sales clerk, while bad, doesn't quite measure up to making racist comments about a women's basketball team.

There are inadvertent rude acts, often caused by a self-absorption so intense that the rude person fails to recognize the rude act. And then there are the deliberate, intentional acts of rudeness that are mostly unforgivable.

So until we manage to curb our nasty instincts, we should at least try to be a kinder and less rude society. See how you measure up on our Rude-o-Meter.

SORT OF RUDE