Nine out of 10 mobile phones are a graveyard of dead texts, messages that are unanswered and forgotten.
Is hyper connectivity making us ruder? I think so. Basic etiquette has been thrown under the bus and it’s a crying shame. Even a hermit like me comes across enough people to know that some kids just won’t have the manners to wish you properly. Worse, their parents won’t think to ask them to! My daughter and I got into a bit of an eye-rolling competition the other night because I asked her to write a ‘thank-you’ note when she would have preferred to send a text message!
There are some occasions that do require that little bit extra and it will only take a minute of your time. How do people have time to send repeated Candy Crush requests but won’t return a phone call? Nine out of 10 mobile phones are a graveyard of dead texts, messages that are unanswered and forgotten. Why do people turn into amnesiacs when it comes to reciprocity? How hard is it really to send a ‘‘yes” or “no”? Whatever happened to ‘manners maketh the man’? The following are my pet peeves...
1. Not greeting people: There is NO excuse for not wishing someone. I don’t care how debilitating your shyness is, you acknowledge someone in the same space as you! THIS IS NON NEGOTIABLE. Failure to do so makes you the worst kind of rude person!
2. Not replying to messages: Unforgivable! if someone has made the effort to reach out to you, you reply. It’s elementary. On most occasions, the sender of said message is well aware their message has been read; to still ignore it is just pathetic manners. The people in this category need to come get a masterclass from my father, who despite a very busy schedule takes the time to answer every single message sent to him. You are welcome to verify this, ask anyone who has ever texted him to wish him on a birthday or a performance. If he can, you can.
3. Not saying ‘Thank you’: Here’s how it works. If someone does something for you, you say ‘Thank you’. It’s not your birthright, you are not owed anything. If someone takes you out for a meal, invites you anywhere, ever; even if you’ve had the worst time, you need to thank them!
4. Not saying sorry: If you’ve done anything to hurt or inconvenience someone you MUST apologise. This includes: dropping coffee on someone’s iPad at Starbucks... Or, showing up late to a meeting/date, saying something nasty in a temper, bumping into someone in a crowd, breaking someone’s heart.
5. Not treating anything that inhabits this planet with the grace and courtesy you expect to be given to you: Animals (you do not kick, shoot, maim them) and the environment (you do not cut down trees, pull leaves off plants or litter).
This list could go on, but I’m restricted by a word limit not my lack of tolerance, which is limitless. So, THANK YOU for taking time to read this, and if it resonated with you a smidge, my work here would truly be done.
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 "Shweta Bachchan Nanda")
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