Thursday, February 17, 2005
Do Manners Matter?
Coming back from having coffee the other day and my friend and I both take pains to hold open subsequent doors for a lady coming up the stairs behind us. My friends then casually mentions that we're a dieing breed to which I reply, "huh?".
"Gentlemen", he says, "there are very few around these days".
I wonder if that's really true or not. I think every generation have always thought that the one behind them was the dearth of society and we would be hard pressed to believe any different. However, is there anyone who doesn't think this is true? I think the most obvious example of a lessening politeness is on our roads and highways. I'm not going to prefess my own innocence there even.
So are we all lacking in manners and even respect? In today's society we appear to have cottoned on to the idea of individual rights but I wonder if this hasn't been at the expense of collective civility? I'm not talking about whether the fork is on the correct side of the plate here. I'm talking about general courtesy. I think we should all try and do a better job. If you have a child too, it must start with you as an example.
Coming back from having coffee the other day and my friend and I both take pains to hold open subsequent doors for a lady coming up the stairs behind us. My friends then casually mentions that we're a dieing breed to which I reply, "huh?".
"Gentlemen", he says, "there are very few around these days".
I wonder if that's really true or not. I think every generation have always thought that the one behind them was the dearth of society and we would be hard pressed to believe any different. However, is there anyone who doesn't think this is true? I think the most obvious example of a lessening politeness is on our roads and highways. I'm not going to prefess my own innocence there even.
So are we all lacking in manners and even respect? In today's society we appear to have cottoned on to the idea of individual rights but I wonder if this hasn't been at the expense of collective civility? I'm not talking about whether the fork is on the correct side of the plate here. I'm talking about general courtesy. I think we should all try and do a better job. If you have a child too, it must start with you as an example.
Comments:
<< Home
I don't think we are getting less polite but I think the concept is changing as it always has.
Your friends idea of being gentlemen would be considered rude by standards of 50 years before.
I think as the equalisation of stations and casualisation of society grows our idea of "gentlemen" will diminish.
We no longer call people Sir but it doesn't make us impolite. We no longer Bow but that doesn't make us impolite. We are mearly streamlining to what is necessary.
Post a Comment
Your friends idea of being gentlemen would be considered rude by standards of 50 years before.
I think as the equalisation of stations and casualisation of society grows our idea of "gentlemen" will diminish.
We no longer call people Sir but it doesn't make us impolite. We no longer Bow but that doesn't make us impolite. We are mearly streamlining to what is necessary.
<< Home
