It has come to my attention that people are incredibly… rude.
When did it become acceptable to not say, “please” or “thank you” or heaven forbid, hold the door for someone?
Maybe I’m just lucky because my parents raised me incredibly well, but I kind of think some of these tidbits of etiquette are just common sense, no? Perhaps you don’t know which fork goes with which course at dinner, but I bet you know to say “god bless you” after someone sneezes.
Do men no longer know that they should offer women their seat on the train rather than knocking them out of the way so they can sit their lazy butt down? We are wearing heels! And we carry heavy handbags! When is the last time you saw someone offer a pregnant woman their seat? A gentleman would let a lady take the first taxi, not curse her out for merely being on the same corner hailing a cab.
Manners go a long way in my book. Here are a few more pointers to keep in mind:
- Cover your mouth when you cough, sneeze, or yawn. No one wants to see your molars.
- Do not blow your nose in public. That’s just disgusting. Excuse yourself to the bathroom.
- Be polite to waiters/waitresses and other service industry employees. They deserve the same respect as you.
- Wash your hands after you use the restroom. This goes for you too, guys. Just because no one is watching doesn’t mean it’s okay to spread illness.
- Don’t play “chicken” on the street. It’s okay to step to the side if someone is walking towards you on the street. Are you really in that big of a hurry? (Someone DESPERATELY needs to write a book on “Sidewalk Etiquette” by the way).
- Save personal grooming for home. Ugh! I literally was sitting next to someone cleaning the gunk from under their nails today on the train. I nearly died.
- Contain your children! Kids are cute and all, but goodness, keep them under control. Just because they’re small doesn’t mean they can run wild.
- Don’t use your phone at dinner. It’s so rude. How often do you see a table full of people ALL using their cell phones? Why did you even bother going to dinner with your friends if they are so boring you need to talk to someone else?
- Don’t let the elevator doors slam on someone. I mean, really, is that extra 2 seconds of holding the door for someone to get on going to kill you?
So “please” try and keep these simple things in mind. I swear, by making minor adjustments to your manners, you will notice a change in others. “Thank you.”