Perhaps the same way dyslectics (sp?) are inconsiderate by always being unable to spell correctly. From time to time, it would be acceptable.
Consider that for the person that is always late, it is probably a bigger problem than for you. She has to endure it in all parts of her life. Assuming that the problem is that she simply doesn't care is as ignorant as assuming that a dyslectic simply doesn't care to learn how to read or write correctly.
You can't just compare two things that on the surface may vaguely seem the same, and just assert they are the exact same thing.
Dyslexia is a recognized medical (psychological?) condition. Being chronically late is just rudeness, plain and simple. If you constantly lose track of the time, buy a watch. Set an alarm. Use a smartphone with a calendar that will remind you of things. Take responsibility for your actions and don't try to excuse the inexcusable as some sort of "condition."
This is a fact: My sister is chronically early. She often winds up arriving to meetings and places about 10-20 minutes ahead of the agreed time. The consequence is hers the bear: she always has to wait for other people, even those arriving on time. The problem is compounded by some of her friends having the opposite problem, always arriving late.
I'm fully aware that being chronically to early or to late is not a recognized medical condition. Research at this point merely concludes that the downsides of chronically lateness is too great for laziness or procrastination being the major driving force.
Dyslexia is categorized neither as a medical or psychological condition, but as a "learning disorder". It is my belief that research will come to a point where
You are correct that it is rude to be late. Rudeness is defines by culture and in my culture (and I suppose yours) it is rude to be late. It is not a universal thruth however, as other posters have stated, since cultural differences exist.
All of the above tells me that chronical lateness is not "just rude". There is more to it, which makes it a far more interesting phenomenon than most other kinds of rudeness.
>If you constantly lose track of the time, buy a watch. Set an alarm. Use a smartphone with a calendar that will remind you of things.
I'm a chronic late-comer. As a result I get extremely anxious about arriving late for things. Sometimes this results in turning up very early (also considered rude) or having so much time that I have to do something else first, which again often results in lateness.
Personally I put it down to a poor ability to keep track of time dyschronia I guess one could call it.
If I wear a watch I don't look at it, if I set an alaram I'll override it. I've tried putting clocks forward. I get google alerts texted to me, 3 seconds later I've forgotten; I have an extremely poor memory.
I'm very one tracked, struggle with multitasking (NMIs causing a context switch at least).
Not an excuse? Then I must be lazy and unreliable - I'm running 1½ businesses (13-14 hour days the last couple), bringing up 2 kids, meet most of my deadlines, etc..
You have to understand what lateness means. If someone is late because she was "getting ready" that means "I would rather spend time looking at myself in a mirror than spend time with you". Friends are not so disrespectful of friends.
Or spend time making themselves look respectful. If people regularly turned up unkempt (unshaved/hair in a mess/yesterday's dinner on their week-worn t-shirt) the article would be complaining about that.
At the risk of stealing someone's flawed analogy (ctrl+f dyslexia) - just because millions of people are capable of something doesn't mean that everyone is capable of it.
I'm wondering now if there are any studies of time keeping abilities in the self confessed "dyschronic". Some people have (actually) no concept of temporal relationships and can't judge time passing, is it too far a leap to imagine there is a sliding scale of this condition?
Yeah, that poor burglar, always breaking into houses which sucks for the people who live there, but consider how hard it is on him! Never knowing for sure how much loot there's going to be, and sleeping bad because you're always afraid the police will come to arrest you! Sure it sucks when your wedding ring is stolen, but he has to endure it in all parts of his life!
Snarkiness aside, being late is not a medical/neurological issue, or something that just /happens' to people. It's a character flaw that only exists because the person who has it doesn't have the will or willpower to change it. It affect everybody he/she interacts with yet through sheer arrogance and self-centeredness, nothing is done about it. No sugar coating on this one - I'm willing to accept that a minority of fat people do genuinely have medical issues, and that dyslectics truly have malfunctioning brains, but for people that are chronically too late, we shouldn't make excuses.
(not meant as an attack, if it sounds hostile it's because I've wound myself up over the this the last two weeks at least a dozen times. People are actually surprised when you're on time, or try to make it to appointments even when there are some minor obstacles! That attitude is so morally corrupt it makes me angry, luckily every now and then I meet someone who's not like this (like this morning) and then my blood pressure can go down again ;) )
Consider that for the person that is always late, it is probably a bigger problem than for you. She has to endure it in all parts of her life. Assuming that the problem is that she simply doesn't care is as ignorant as assuming that a dyslectic simply doesn't care to learn how to read or write correctly.