common courtesy

Seeker

Seeker

Redneck Hillbilly
Location
Alabama
Do you have it? Regardless of who you encounter? This was something instilled in me as a child. I think it is lost in today's world.
 

Please and thank you goes a long way....Yes Mam, Yes sir...My Children also are polite. Respect your elders...
At the same time we as adults should hold the same respect. I just don't get how others think because you are not on their intellectual level that they should disregard what you say or think. Isn't that how we all learn?
I'm just an ol' redneck, hillbilly, but I learn daily and still have values and thoughts, that may not be as highly regarded as intellectual. We all just interject in our own way...
 
Americans sound ultra polite to Australians. "Yes Mam" and "Yes Sir" are not heard over here very much. Instead of "You're welcome" you are more likely to hear "No worries" and deference is replaced by a cheeky grin. Courtesy here is more a matter of being co-operative when in crowds, of queuing patiently and waiting your turn and letting someone go ahead of you when they need to. People of my generation tend to be like you Seeker, more conditioned to say please, thank you and excuse me but I find young people to be very considerate and polite to me as an elderly woman.
 
I find young people to be very considerate and polite to me as an elderly woman.
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This may be what I'm gettin' at . In my world it really doesn't matter your age, it's more about just being another human being, regardless of age. Not so sure I was conditioned, maybe to say it, but to actually mean it, is another matter. When I say or do it I feel it....in my heart I mean it. If I let someone go in front of me it's not just because I was conditioned to do it, I really have compassion for others. It can all be taken in the wrong way. Turned around to mean something different. Here I go not making much sense. I try.
 
The hubby and I were brought up to be courteous to others and we taught our children to do the same. I noticed my Grand kids are also very polite. A little off subject but what I did notice is that my kids generation seem to be a little less sensitive to other peoples feelings. They can be extremely blunt. As an example, they have no problem telling someone they have bad breath or they have food caught in their front teeth. When I confront them with this they say wouldn't you want to know? This is true ,but when I was growing up you didn't utter a word. You just sat there and stared at the green thing between your great aunts front teeth or didn't get to close to Uncle Louie because of the fumes.
 
I was raised to be polite and courteous, especially to my elders. But I don't mechanically say please and thank you, I mean it when I say it and help others if I see they're struggling with something or need help. If someone has a few items and I have a full cart, I'm happy to let them go ahead of me. I'm not a doormat though, if someone is rude to me or tries to push in front of me by intimidation, I'll let them know where the back of the line is, no problem. :D
 
I am always polite and calm up until someone proves to me that they're not deserving of that. (I usually give them more chances than they deserve)
 
James said:
I am always polite and calm up until someone proves to me that they're not deserving of that. (I usually give them more chances than they deserve)
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I wish I could say the same. I'm a whimp...every time. I just can't be mean, I try, and fail.

I was in walmart once and the woman in front of me backed into my cart and then proceeded to say I ran into her. The cashier saw it all and was on my side, but I as usual, gave in and apologized profusely, even though I knew I did not.
 
With my career choice being respectful, polite & courteous was expected as you were a representative of your Department (although there were and are a few that have difficulty with this concept).

That being said however, there was and is a point where that changes.
 
Being polite was drummed into us when we were little.

It's probably not acceptable today but we were trained to be polite.

IMO some of that training is lacking today and my belief is that it is because so many young children are raised by daycare providers and not by family.

“Give me a child until he is seven and I will show you the man.” - Aristotle
 
My siblings and I were taught by our parents to respect our elders,write thankyou notes for any present we received e.g. birthday,xmas,say 'please' and'thankyou'.
I still write thankyou notes as much as possible,more personal than a email. Sue
 
Camper6 said:
I ride the bus almost every day. We have a huge multicultural population now.

Some populations are more polite than others.
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It might be due to the fact that some groups have been treated better than others.

I notice that when I go to our little gritty city corner store the people/shoppers, in general, are much more polite than the people I encounter in larger suburban stores and malls.

I'm not sure what that means.
 
James said:
I am always polite and calm up until someone proves to me that they're not deserving of that. (I usually give them more chances than they deserve)
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Same here James. My problem is the same as yours, I usually give far too many chances to people that don't deserve them and end up getting walked all over for it. But when I do reach my breaking point there's no turning back.

My wife is from Windsor, Ont. right near the Detroit River.
 
Just last week in Walmart there was a gentleman in a wheelchair pointing up as I walked by. Common courtesy demands that I stop and ask what he needed from the shelf.

I was surprised when he told me that several people had passed by and not offered assistance. Begs the question Why?
 
I was brought up to say "Yes Sir, Yes Mam", Please and Thank You and Excuse Me! Thank goodness my grandkids have been brought up with the same good manners. They are very respectful! Kindness and respect goes a long way in how other people respond to you.
 
In this and other threads, it always keeps coming back to family and how we are trained. That, in my opinion, is the foundation of all.
 

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