Tuesday, August 05, 2008

Reflection on Manners

Manners,traditons, customs whats the differnce? There does not seem to be a major difference.
When I think of manners I think that many people at some stage have rebelled against at least once. Mine was carry my chair and opening my own door instead of letting the a guy or my boyfriend do it. For me it was a matter of principal from a young age. When I was seven I decided that blys had more fun and that was not fair. I determined to do things for myself and to have fun. Later on I decided I would not let my boyfriend open the car door for me because when he stopped I would read too much into it and it ruin our relationship unecessarily. But mother despaired.

I think it is quite amazing to her that I am quite "lady-like".

I have also learned to respect other peoples manners, traditons and customs and find that there are a few I actually want to observe. It makes me feel like I belong to something. It is comforting at times.

One of my favourite musicals is Fiddler on the Roof and I think that the opening song: Traditions (U-tube below) and the movie/play very nicely put into perspective that PEOPLE/RELATIONAHIPS ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN manners/trations/customs - sometimes manners facilitate those relationships and other times we need to really question what is more importatnt the act or the person.




6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow...such a thoughtful HoT!!! Yes, sometimes we rebel against manners but other times, we embrace them because they make society run smoother. I must admit that some of the manners and etiquette of the past is a bit much but I do like it when someone shows me courtesy.

My HoT is A chart of good manners and it is up at my place.

-Bev

maryt/theteach said...

I agree with you completely Simone! Sometimes we forget relationships because we are so concerned with how we a supposed to act... :) Thanks for you comments on my Creative Photography post!

storyteller said...

Thanks for sharing your thoughtful response to this week’s HoTs post … leading ME to reflect as well.
Hugs and blessings,

Hootin Anni said...

Love Fiddler on the Roof. But my stance on the act or person being of more importance would follow just WHO did the act. If ill manners are from a person of family or loved one, the mannerism or disrespect would hurt more. And it would take a lot of stamina to withstand the bad manners...as with just the opposite of someone I didn't even know. Then, if bad manners it would just flow off my shoulders.

Thanks for the visit today.

CJ said...

Opening doors and helping with chairs is a common courtesy thing for me, not so much a male-female thing. I've opened doors for men and I don't mind when they do the same for me.

I enjoyed your post, Simone.

cjh

Anonymous said...

I like traditions and I respect manners but relationships are something else. I respect many of my friends and I can slap some of them so that is not a manner or tradition, that is called frankness. For all other people, i am polite and very respectful to others.