Be Polite - The Old Fashioned Way

Picture by Justyna Furmanczyk

"Hello reader, welcome to yet another post at Minutesworthhours.com. I hope you have enjoyed the blog so far, and want to thank you for your time and attention. I apologize for anything that may have wasted your time, since that completely goes against the purpose of this blog."

There's some old fashioned politeness for you. Something that seems to have gone out of style somewhere around the '70s, and is in desperate need of revival. I live in the country with possible the least sense of decorum in the world (China). Service personnel is mostly taken for granted here. There are no questions asked, only demands made. There is no 'thank you' or 'good morning' when you go to the store. Not even an 'excuse me' when you get bumped into.

The rules about how to be polite used to be much stricter here, and in the West too. I remember being told to say 'please', 'thank you', and 'you're welcome' whenever the situation called for it. And I still do. What about you?

It's one thing not to be offensive or rude, it's another to be truly polite and friendly toward your fellow citizens. As you go through your daily activities, your mind is constantly busy with what else you have planned, the little problems you have at work or at home, the details that are going to slip your mind if you let go of them. So you hang on tightly to these thoughts, in order to stay on the rails. It's hard enough as it is, without worrying about keeping others on their rails too.

But is that really how you want to spend your days? Going through the motions, pretending everyone around you is just part of the play in which you play the lead?

I'm sure you've run into people who've been polite to you, out of the blue. They held the door open, said a cheery 'good morning' or thanked you for something you did. These little gestures make us feel better, like we're part of something bigger, and not just on our own. It reminds us that everyone around us is another being, much like we are, with equally complicated lives. The same fears, hopes and dreams.

Next time you run into a stranger, you could make them feel the same way too.

I've met my share of grumpy waitresses, cashiers and bus drivers here in China. My approach is always the same: a friendly 'hello' and a big smile. For many of them, it might be the first time in a week they're approached this way. I love seeing the feeling of surprise on their faces.

Do you believe in being polite just to be polite? Or is it totally outdated? Do you teach your kids to say 'please' and 'thank you'? Were you taught as a child?