What I See with Peter Fiorenza: Why being thrown under the bus is a symptom of modern lifestyle isolation

Have you ever been thrown under the bus? I’m not talking literally, but metaphorically. I have, and it is certainly not a good experience. Now, what does the term actually mean? According to my mate Google (more specifically merriam-webster.com), to “throw someone under the bus is to criticise, blame, or punish them, especially in order to avoid blame or gain an advantage”. The website also goes on to say the people who are thrown under the bus are typically in a vulnerable position. This meaning is further qualified, with merriam-webster.com stating “to betray or sacrifice a person, particularly for the sake of one’s own advancement, or as a means of safeguarding one’s own interests”. For me, the term “betray” resonates most when I think of this relatively well-known saying. Growing up, I learnt looking after your friends and staying loyal to your mates was a cornerstone of expected behaviour. In fact, you could say it is more a cornerstone of behaviour in Australian society — or was. From the history of our Diggers in two world wars to many of us being or having been part of a sporting team, looking after each other, I believed, was just part of who we were. However, I think this type of attitude is being somewhat eroded. I know after reading this column, many of you will wonder and even ask me who has thrown me under the bus. No one of late, but there has been the odd occasion. But these instances, in my opinion, are becoming more prevalent. Why? I reckon it comes down to our current lifestyles. Despite the world seeming to be closer than ever, people are becoming more and more isolated. So many of us today spend a lot more time alone than with others, and this includes the workplace and our personal lives. In the past, most workplaces involved constant engagement with others, but today a lot can be achieved without much face-to-face interaction at all, mainly because of advances in technology. This, in turn, has made us quite selfish. Because we are spending more time alone, perhaps our empathy has gone out the window and the care factor for others has become less of a priority. I’m convinced this lifestyle-imposed isolation has only contributed to an ever-growing level of anxiety in our community. A consequence of this is it is compounded with our younger generation. Sadly, they are compelled to grow up with this selfish attitude — not demonstrating the norms of looking after your friends or being loyal to mates. This is leading to a case of more people than ever before being thrown under the bus. Cr Peter Fiorenza hosts Sports Shed Saturday (9am to noon) and Fiorenza on Sunday (10am to noon) on Radio MAMA