Chicks-n-Scratching

It has come to my attention recently that etiquette is a dying art. Manners are falling out of favor under the press of convenience and modernism.

This makes me insane.

Is it really so difficult to say please and thank you? Is it such an imposition to actually respond to an RSVP request? I’m not talking about handwritten thank you notes on personalized stationery or whether that fork is for seafood or spaetzle. No, I’m talking about basic courtesy.

The problem, as I see it, is that manners are the grease that helps the wheels of society slide along easily. Without that grease, society grinds along, but it’s painful and it keeps jamming and freezing up.

So, while I don’t intend to go all Emily Post on you, I do want to mention some small things that make life easier for everyone. Plus, I’m nearly completely convinced that as manners fall away, the tendency to see people as people (as opposed to obstacles) also degrades. As manners decline, so does the general “nice” quotient. And that’s just sad.

Say please and thank you. Sadly, when you do, you’ll likely get a look of shocked gratitude. Which should tell you how bad things are for manners in the real world. If someone does you the courtesy of sending you an invitation, the least you can do is pick up the phone and call to tell them yes or no. Open doors for people. Pick things up and hand them back to the person who dropped them. These small niceties make a big difference. And you might just find that your mood improves. I know it’ll improve mine.

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