- What was the first thing you thought when you saw a picture of woman picking her nose?
- What was your reaction when you realized it was Hillary Clinton doing the gold digging?
- Has your opinion changed at all about Hillary after seeing this picture?
My answer: Ew that's gross, (o.O), and mayyyybe just a little.
Public etiquette and manners heavily influence the ability people have to interact in a positive way with the rest of the area's culture. Picking your nose is definitely not the way you want to send a first impression to someone. The process of learning the yes' and no's of civilized culture is not a path that's set out by guidelines and school systems though, but instead often finds a place being taught by constant example.
| Cute! ...until he makes you do the dishes... |
For instance, in my family we learned table manners through a game we called Pig. The rules were simple: if someone caught a sibling breaking the table etiquette rules of conduct, they would gain the dreaded possession of a little plastic pig. Whoever had the pig at the end of dinner had the task of finishing all of the dishes. While arguments did often arise, I still have a split-second of short breath when I realize my elbows are touching the table, even when I'm not eating.
Interestingly enough, etiquette's official beginnings are set in ink. Between 3580 B.C. to 3536 B.C, an Egyptian scholar named Ptah-Hotep wrote a book outlining his beliefs on all the behaviors fathers should be teaching to their sons. While these ancient scripts might be the initial standards of etiquette, those espoused by our current society lay rooted in French culture dating back to King Louis XIV between 1600 and 1700. The royal courts had a code that they had to abide by during meetings, again written, that set the standards for how the court should treat and respect each other.1 2
Even though the rules of etiquette were originally written rules, as the beginnings became more shrouded in the fog of the past, these traditions continue being taught today through more informal atmosphere. Manners, whether taught in the home or, as it may be for our friend Hillary, on a case-by-case basis are an essential part of our culture that can be taught truly by folk example.
Even though the rules of etiquette were originally written rules, as the beginnings became more shrouded in the fog of the past, these traditions continue being taught today through more informal atmosphere. Manners, whether taught in the home or, as it may be for our friend Hillary, on a case-by-case basis are an essential part of our culture that can be taught truly by folk example.
Well gee thanks Ryan, that hilarious picture made me laugh out loud in my office at work. Embarrassing.
ReplyDeleteAnyways, I liked this post as I think manners are absolutely necessary to be treated like an adult. Although I'm far from perfect as I occasionally let out a big burp or don't cover my mouth when I sneeze every time, it is interesting to look at how manners differ from country to country. For instance, my brother in law (who served a mission in Europe)said that it's incredibly rude to discuss religion with people- as it comes off very insensitive. Whereas in the US, we are much more open with our religious views.
Hey this is a great post, it's really neat to learn about. There are some peculiar manners that we have in society that are really interesting to learn where they originate. It's hard though because there are many that it's hard to pin point a time where it did actually start or how it did. One that i was curious about though was "bless you" after a sneeze.
ReplyDeleteIt is speculated that it came from Rome in near 590 Ad and started because of a plague that was going everywhere. The Pope instructed that prayers and other things needed to be done at all times and sneezing was thought to be a early symptom of the plague. So then people would instantly bless them when someone sneezed. Neat things to learn!
Link***http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/1958/why-do-we-say-god-bless-you-after-a-sneeze**
This post was hilarious. It is interesting to note the history of etiquette and how far back it goes.
ReplyDeleteMy parents did the whole "manners" thing as well, although I never had to wash dishes for it, but I never really paid attention to the lessons until they came into play when I was interacting with my peers. Peer pressure did much more to give me practice with manners than my parents did. I guess peer pressure can be a good thing as well as a bad thing.
ReplyDelete