September 24, 2007

  • Rudeness

    Math teachers make memories for me.  Mine from seventh grade told me I was the rudest person she'd ever met.  While I dont remember what I did or said that elicited that comment, I have never forgotten her opinion.  Fast forward to college where at a party I commented on a fellow's lack of socks, which impropriety landed me before the Standards committee.  The consequences were to make an apology.  I did.  And most recently I was accused of being rude because I was not *nice enough.*

    There you have it.  Full disclosure with three examples to substantiate the fact that I am rude.

    Oh dear!

    Perhaps that's why my *Manners on Mondays* entries dont garner a lot of comments the way Cindy of Dominion Family's rants do.  Or Carol at Magistramater's site which got over 3000 hits and 150 comments when she blogged about mispronunciations.

    Until recently, declares Lynn Truss in her entertaining book, Talk to the Hand:  The Utter Bloody Rudeness of the World Today, or Six Good Reasons to Stay at Home and Bolt the Door, people did aspire to manners (pg 11).  And, I do!  But she also warns me that nowadays it is dangerous to point out that one is rude.

    The six reasons (chapters) are 1) Was That So Hard To Say; 2) Why Am I the One Doing This; 3) My Bubble, My Rules; 4) The Universal (vulgarity) Reflex; 5) Booing the Judges; and 6) Someone Else Will Clean It Up.

    Drop me a comment and let me know which chapter was your favorite.

    I cant decide.

    They are all on the mark!

    Better yet, let me know how you fared on the elbow skin test.

     

Comments (7)

  • I haven't read that book, but it sounds interesting.  Rudeness really bothers me because it doesn't cost anything to be courteous.

    About another book... Have you seen this one or heard/read anything about it?

    http://press.umsystem.edu/spring2007/russello.htm

    I read a review of it in The Washington Times Weekly and it looks good.

  • Be aware that the language in Truss's book is coarse at times.  That it why I didnt buy a copy when I first discovered it.

    Now I am thoroughly enjoying it and making a list of the etiquette and manners books which she used for reference/bibliography.

  • Laura -

    I am only aware of Russello's book about Kirk from the Kirk Center website.  Here's a link to the National Review article  http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=Mzc4NWEzOGJjNjI1M2FmMzNjNGZhZGEyMDgwZTNjZTA=

    I have downloaded and printed two Kirk essay's to read this fall.  I will post my thoughts.  Probably one in October and one in November.

  • I read Truss's Eats, Shoots and Leaves book, but not this one. Now you have me curious.

  • Carol - pg 13 Ms Truss hooks me by saying:

    "It seems to me that just as the loss of punctuation signaled the vast and under-acknowledged problem of illiteracy, so the collapse of manners stands for a vast and under-acknowledged problem of social immorality."

  • Dana,

    I really suprises me that you have ever been rude.  Because you are so thoughtful and generous.

    I think it is a matter of maturing and learning to watch our words.

    I certainly blurted things out when I was a little girl...I don't do that any more. 

    True rudeness....knows it is wrong and continues to be rude. 

  • Whats a standards commmittee?  And why would it be rude to comment on lack of socks??

    I have been told by my FIL that I am complete yankee, would that constitute rude? 

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