Good Manners Count!

Shelby is on the phone talking to someone when all of a sudden Lacey approaches her and takes the phone right out of her hand. Lacey begins talking to the person. Shelby thinks to herself "How completely rude and obnoxious of Lacey to just take the phone away from me! Does she have no courtesy or respect for me, or others, whatsoever?! Ughh..I would never do that to her!" As you can see this has made Shelby upset and even angry at Lacey. People in our society today do not realize how far common courtesy towards others can get you.

As a native to southeastern Kentucky I have taken good manners for granted. I thought that most everyone growing up in America was taught them. Soon I learned this is very untrue. Good manners is something our society seems to have lost somewhere along the way. In case you are one of the people who is unaware of what manners are I will give you my own definition. Good manners is a way of speaking or acting with proper courtesy or respect towards other people. More and more people do not act respectfully or courteously towards others. There are two reasons why someone does not have good manners. Either they were not taught good manners or the person was taught good manners but has perhaps encountered so many rude people they have lost respect for others and deem it not necessary to act with good manners anymore.

The question is who wants to know someone or be friends with someone who has bad manners and comes off as being disrespectful and mean towards others? Not many people want to be friends with a complete jerk. People who have bad manners need to realize that in order to get ahead in life and have a fulfilling life they need to at least treat others with respect and courtesy. The root of good manners comes down to being nice to others. Examples of good manners that should be followed are things like: saying please and thank you, asking for things politely, responding to others when they talk to you, greeting someone when seeing them, not taking things from others without first asking, chewing with your mouth closed, waving to others as they pass, and saying hello and goodbye when spending time with another.