How do you handle people who have no manners or courtesy?

I agree with you on just about everything and would treat it all similarly. I hate when people ask me about being quiet - it's because I don't have anything to say! But I think what you should do is not be in these situations. I have found myself that the MAJORITY (I put that in caps because it pisses me off) of people around where I live are simple (in a bad way) or rude and that puts me in an unfortunate situation socially. But frankly I just can't get along with these people - I have nothing to say to them. They just want to make dumb jokes and spend their lives like it's something you have to use up instead of fulfill. So forget about them, if you find yourself around these sort of people, lose them. Unless you feel like lecturing/fighting these people, but chances are they have the classic MTV attention span and will not be able to interpret anything you say. It's hard to find intelligent friends these days, I know, but to me it's better to be alone and decent than to be social and foolish. I've spent a hell of a lot of time trying to be social (and foolish) and all it taught me was to be different and learn that the path I take may be harder, but at least it has substance.