Manners

Sorry folks for the lack of last week's Friday Round Up. I was called away on Friday and was without technology.

I was going through some old magazines over the weekend trying to figure out what ones to keep and what ones to donate to the thrift store. I found the following, which is taken from the book Talk to the Hand: Talk to the Hand:The Utter Blood Rudeness of Everyday Life (or Six Good Reasons to Stay Home and Bolt the Door) by Lynne Truss. The same Lynne Truss that wrote Eats Shoots and Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation.

"Manners are about showing consideration and using empathy. But they are also about being connected to a common good; they are about being better. Respect and consideration are traditionally due to people for all sorts of reasons, some big, some small. Here are 20 reasons to show special politeness to other people:

1. They are older
2. They know more than you do.
3. They know less than you do.
4. They got here first.
5. They have educational qualifications in the subject under discussion.
6. You are in their house.
7. They once helped you financially.
8. They have been good to you all your life.
9. They are less fortunate than you.
10. They have achieved special status in the world.
11. You are serving them in a shop.
12. They are in the right.
13. They are your boss.
14. They work for you.
15. They are a policeman/teacher/doctor/judge.
16. They are in need.
17. They are doing you a favor.
18. They paid for the tickets.
19. You phoned them, not the other way around.
20. They have a menial job. "

Now I have a few problems with some of these, but I think the jest of the list is people should be polite to each other just because we are all human beings. I see so much rudeness, and not just from the youngsters out here. I think it's sad that I am so surprised and pleased when people are polite, and do display even the most rudimentary manners.

"Don't reserve your best behavior for special occasions. You can't have two sets of manners, two social codes - one for those you admire and want to impress, another for those whom you consider unimportant. You must be the same to all people".
-Lillian Eichler Watson