Social Etiquette

You can't please everyone all the time, but does it hurt to try?

No, I am not talking about brown-nosing the board members or agreeing to have "relations" with that creep you met at the bar simply because you'd feel badly for rejecting him. Have a little self-esteem, now, really. No, what I am trying to get at is something it seems people rarely discuss anymore in this modern world.

When I venture out into the world, I try to put on my "best face" - i.e., I am not the only person in the world, and therefore a certain amount of courtesy for my fellow man (or woman, duh) should naturally be exercised. Obviously I'm not always on target. Often times I find it difficult to be polite when someone is blatantly crossing the line of decency. But human nature aside, isn't it important to attempt good manners, especially in the face of rudeness?

I would wager it is very important. I am no wealthy aristocrat, and I certainly have never attended finishing school. I do not presume to know what I am talking about when it comes to having good manners. However, the fast-paced, convenient world of today (to me) seems starved of integrity, and it might not be such a crazy idea to take a few leaves (literally) out of Emily Post's book (as a side note, if you don't know who Ms. Post was, I'd recommend looking her up).

It may seem silly to reform our lives with such trivial things as chewing with the mouth closed or holding the door for an arthritic old woman. And in fact one could argue that etiquette differs from culture to culture, so why even bother when your manners are someone else's annoyance? Just throw caution to the wind and let that 90-year-old bat get the door herself! Every man for himself, right?

But... what if you were the 90-year-old? And, when having guests to dinner, isn't it more pleasant when the main noise at the table is conversation, not the smacking of mashed potatoes against someone's molars? Don't you find it nice when, cultural differences aside, someone takes the time to honor you with their good behavior (even if it's a different version than your's)?

So perhaps consider this: when you feel the urge to argue a ridiculous point (and you know it really doesn't matter), or when you would rather tell the clerk off for charging you extra on your purchase, or even when you think it's hilarious to share your bodily functions with the world... perhaps it just creates unnecessary conflict (not to mention it can be painfully embarrassing to observe someone acting out of line at a social function)... and perhaps you would also like others to behave more politely in your favor. Why not make an effort for them first?

Let's initiate the etiquette revolution. We all know how to say "please" and "thank you", and we generally like it when others say those two phrases to us; so for crying out loud, take a stride toward putting some finesse in your daily interactions!

Thank you for reading today's rant. I realize it may have come off as an arrogant statement from someone who really isn't qualified to tell others how to behave... but I meant it more as a plea for perhaps improving even just a small part of our quality of life.