by Jim McAllister
Del Mar, California is one of the really nice places in this world. It’s nice to escape the hot climes of Arizona for a week at this time of year and enjoy the beach, the race track, and the nice restaurants in Del Mar. "California, here I come" starting tomorrow!.....Harvey MacKay writes this week about the importance of manners, in particular when it comes to RSVP invitations. It amazes me how so many people these days have no clue about the importance of the RSVP notation on an invitation. Many have no idea what it even means and others are too rude to care. For the uninformed, RSVP is French for "respondez s’il vous plait" which simply means "let us know one way or the other if you are coming." Is that so difficult? Email or pick up the phone, contact the inviter, and say "Yes" I will attend" or "No", I can’t make it but thanks anyway."
Manners are sorely lacking in this country anymore and it is not just because of the RSVP situation. In the busy and selfish world we live in, many parents are too busy to teach their kids those important values that many of us learned in childhood not that long ago. Hence, you see people eating in restaurants with hats on, men stepping in front of women getting on and off elevators, and other actions that would not have happened a couple of generations ago.....
2 comments:
Hi Jim!
Have a great time in Del Mar! You are correct about the dwindling interest or knowledge thereof concerning manners today. Many people walking around today want to get what they want right now and feel they have the right to demand and get the best of everything in material goods! In the Deli business I see this often with people who come up to the counter wanting service. Sometimes people are rude and abrupt with their wishes. Others come across as someone who thinks they have the right to treat everyone as their servant! Yes, everyone has the right to request and get satisfaction with their purchases. A person who possesses true class, however, knows how to ask for it properly without making the clerk feel like a moron in the process! We can make requests. We don't have to demand. My job is to be courteous and helpful to the best of my ability.
I have tried very hard to teach my children good manners. It's hard keeping them in practice, though, when they go to school with kids whose parents are probably rude themselves! Manners may seem outdated to some, but I think they are still worth teaching and remembering to use!
Sometimes I think the fellows nowadays are confused about what women want or expect of them. Sometimes we women are our own worst enemy! We all have to make an effort, though. That's the best we can do. We're all in this together! In the end we will all be equals!
Happy Vacation!
Hi Jim:
That was an excellent article by Harvey. So many people tell me that manners are common sense. If so, why isn't it common?
Enjoy your time in Del Mar! Check out my blog www.bizmanners.com for more thoughts on this subject!
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