Image by Terri Cnudde from Pixabay |
The rules of society. That is something that is engrained in all of us from the time we're children.
Act proper, be respectable, be ready to present in public. What does all of that even mean?
And why do we still care what Emily Post thinks in 2021?! Etiquette is a lost art form for sure. It used to be the earmarkings of good breeding. Now... its just dull.
But... still essential. Ahh, the cultural divide.
Redditor u/rubber_duck_of_death wanted to hear how to our best selves, especially in public by asking:
Reddit, what is one rule/etiquette that you always follow?
Let's chat about how we make the best impressions and why the heck do we care. It all ties together, so we really should find a way to make it all work. Start with the basics...
Going Up?
Meryl Streep Sunglasses GIF by 20th Century Fox Home EntertainmentGiphy"Wait for people to exit the elevator before getting into the freaking elevator."
Kindness...
"I always say "Thank you"- "Please" and "Excuse me"- I just got so used to saying it it just comes out of my mouth without me even noticing."
"I once was in high school and tried to squeeze past someone and hit my shoulder on my locker. Without thinking, I literally said "sorry" to my locker bc I was so used to saying it whenever I bumped into someone."
Trashed
"Keep my trash on me when I'm out until I find a garbage bin. I never throw anything on the ground."
"I find it very hard to believe that people don't put their trash in their pockets until they find a trash can. Why do people throw trash in the streets anyway?"
Eat Quiet!
"Eat your mouth closed and let people finish when they're talking."
"I was constantly having to raise my voice in conversation to let the person interrupting me know I'm not finished. I've stopped because they don't actually learn, but a really petty part of me just stops engaging as well because they obviously don't actually care for what I have to say."
be common
charlie brown thanksgiving GIF by PeanutsGiphy"Common decency. Say thank you to simple gestures, it's not hard but a lot of people have lost the ability to be kind and/or polite."
Why would anyone need to be taught these things. These rules always apply. Basic human decency should always be obvious and apply.
Cleanliness...
Wash Hands Nicksplat GIF by Hey ArnoldGiphy"Wash your hands after using the toilet. It pains me that people need to be told this."
LIVE!!!
"I remember my grandpa reading about gays or atheists or hippies and he'd say, "Oh, well - live and let live." Live and let live."
"Oh dear God, decent people do exist. Almost none of my family members seem to understand this for some reason, always judging and talking crap about others and their choices. Your grandpa sounds like the best."
Things That Are Normal Where You Live But Crazy Anywhere Else | George Takei’s Oh Myyy
Operator?
"The person at the other end of your phone call is not responsible for your problem and will most likely help you if you are nice to her rather than yelling at her."
- ToineMP
"This. So much this. I've been in food for so long, that I can tell you, don't be a do**he and we will go out of our way to help you."
- mregg000
basic decency...
"Return your damn shopping cart."
"I do this out of basic principle, sure there are people who have the job of it, but that is just rude to me. it's like leaving your table a freaking pigsty at a restaurant, especially if they are busy, or leaving items all over a store because your too lazy to put it back where it goes. Unless you have a valid excuse, it doesn't take that long."
While Shopping
give me christmas GIF by TargetGiphy"Keep my grocery cart on one side of an aisle while shopping instead of blocking the whole monkey fluffin' aisle so no one can get through."
Shop kind, shop smart. That is a big one for me, especially in New York. Etiquette is easy if we apply it as just common kindness and basic, decent behavior. Is that really hard? Let's try...
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A Viral Tweet About Airplane Armrests Has Sparked A Heated Debate About Proper 'Plane Etiquette'
Nothing gets people more passionate than questions of proper airplane etiquette.
Perhaps being locked in a cramped metal room tends to make people a bit cranky.
The Rich Eisen Show probably knew this when they posed a question to Twitter that quickly went viral.
does the person sitting in the middle seat on airplane get both armrests?— Rich Eisen Show (@Rich Eisen Show) 1559842135.0
The show's Twitter account asked:
"does the person sitting in the middle seat on airplane [sic] get both armrests?"
Boy, did people have some opinions about that.
but which arm rest do they get? https://t.co/yoaTdbIkVn— Doug Pinkston (@Doug Pinkston) 1559857868.0
Some people thought the middle seat should go without both armrests...
They don’t get either arm rest! https://t.co/1HBmufrgLF— Mc gusto (@Mc gusto) 1559853536.0
...but most believed the most cramped chair deserved the most arm space.
@RichEisenShow @richeisen They totally should they are the ones stuck between two people and that should be their added benefit!— Ryan Mays (@Ryan Mays) 1559855796.0
@RichEisenShow No. I think everyone on the right of the plane gets the left-hand armrest and everyone on the left o… https://t.co/fLRzvRgMFk— JH (@JH) 1559892888.0
@RichEisenShow @richeisen Those saying “no way”. Reconsider. I hardly ever sit in the middle and I always yield m… https://t.co/DAd3uNOERv— Crazy Diamond (@Crazy Diamond) 1559854587.0
On Twitter, the debate raged with fiery passion!
@RichEisenShow @richeisen They totally should they are the ones stuck between two people and that should be their added benefit!— Ryan Mays (@Ryan Mays) 1559855796.0
Fortunately, many people stated the matter had long been decided upon by comedian Jim Jefferies.
@RichEisenShow I do believe the @jimjefferies has already settled this discussion. #PlaneEttiquette— Lindsey Bell (@Lindsey Bell) 1559894247.0
@RichEisenShow "When you’re on an airplane, there’s a thing called ‘plane etiquette,’ and it goes like this. Window… https://t.co/rkq1HPY1fl— Sean Patton (@Sean Patton) 1559853123.0
@RichEisenShow Yes. Plane etiquette rules are as follows: Left Seat: aisle with extra leg space and left armrest. M… https://t.co/QCAG8qpCGG— Dylan Connolly (@Dylan Connolly) 1559859272.0
Jefferies himself even chimed in on the argument.
We're not f*cking animals! https://t.co/e1kqTkrQkv— jim jefferies (@jim jefferies) 1551902479.0
A few alternate approaches were suggested.
@RichEisenShow I always try to equitably share armrests - with one person using the front and one the back of it. I… https://t.co/0PTtYHtzCV— 👑 𝒱𝒶𝑔𝑒𝓈𝓉𝒾𝒸 𝐻𝒾𝑔𝒽𝓃𝑒𝓈𝓈 👑 (@👑 𝒱𝒶𝑔𝑒𝓈𝓉𝒾𝒸 𝐻𝒾𝑔𝒽𝓃𝑒𝓈𝓈 👑) 1559894044.0
@RichEisenShow @richeisen I’ve gotten neither at times. just had to tuck my arms in and deal with it— Alberto (@Alberto) 1559852997.0
But, in the end, most people came around to the middle-seat way of thinking.
@RichEisenShow Can I change my mind? I think they should have both arm rests. I’d forgotten about the other ‘non-middle’ advantages 🙂— Marie Kelly-Davies (@Marie Kelly-Davies) 1559895527.0
@RichEisenShow I would like to change my vote to “DEFINITELY.” After reading the comments, obviously, I’ve been liv… https://t.co/fgxkhh90fG— SDK901 (@SDK901) 1559915681.0
For people who still haven't conceded in the great armrest war, you can get a portable airplane armrest divider (no, really) here.
And at least there's one thing we can ALL agree on:
@RichEisenShow if you lean your seat back on a plane it should automatically be turbo injected out of the plane wit… https://t.co/1bRzeNbHwa— Conor McGranaghan (@Conor McGranaghan) 1559893101.0
At the risk of sounding like a total curmudgeon, not enough people have manners these days!
The simple acts of "please" and "thank you"? Lost! People press buttons on adjacent floors of elevators of 36 story buildings!
It just doesn't make any sense. In the words of Full House, whatever happened to dependability?
u/icecoldcokezero asked:
What is a basic etiquette everyone should know but not everyone follows?
Here were some of the answers.