Manners Matter
Written by Leanna Drammer
Manners are your ticket to go anywhere – your toolkit for fitting in, standing out and feeling comfortable meeting anyone.
Who cares about manners?
Surfers
Surfing’s codes are basic common sense. Take the most important one, about pushing in, or ‘dropping in’ as surfers call it. You’ll notice that surfers gather in a queue, they ‘line up’, as they wait for waves to come in…Dropping in – waiting at the bottom of a wave and cutting in front of a surfer already riding it – is frowned on, for the obvious reason that it’s queue-jumping.
No one’s going to get really mad with a newcomer dropping in if they don’t know better – they’ll explain the rule and get on with surfing. The great thing is that you realize that enjoying the waves works by people respectfully working together – getting along with others in order to have a good time. Really, that’s all that manners are for, isn’t it?
Movie Producers
“Manners are really the basis for how we treat other people—manners are born out of compassion, empathy, the “golden rule.” Manners are, quite simply, making people feel welcome, comfortable, and respected.”
― Brian Grazer
Athletes
“Manners is the key thing. Say, for instance, when you’re growing up, you’re walking down the street, you’ve got to tell everybody good morning. Everybody. You can’t pass one person.”
― Usain Bolt
Fashion Designers
“Dressing well is a form of good manners.”
― Tom Ford – Fashion Designer, Film Director
Famous Personalities
“T stands for being nice. T stands for manners. T stands for being polite.”
― Mr. T – Actor, Bodyguard, Professional Wrestler
Some of the rules are simple.
“Good manners: The noise you don’t make when you’re eating soup.”
Bennett Cerf
Others are a little more complicated and subtle. But knowing them can take you from day to day interactions with friends (and people you would like to have as friends) to meeting famous people. Being prepared will give you the confidence to go anywhere and shine.
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