In a comment on Rachel's blog I saw the discussion about "eating in the street".
Angrily I stare at a small dark spot on my beautiful cherry-red coat ("With it you brighten up a grey winter day, love", people tell me). Yes: Someone in the underground slurped her silly coffee-to-go - swoosh - -- sprinkle - she didn't even notice.
Of course it is forbidden to drink/eat on public transport - but: WHO cares?
I remember Fräulein Dr. M., our elegant English teacher, who told us that it is indecent for a girl to lick on an icecream-cone in public - we stared at her, and (even more sensational than the archaic and long-forgotten word "indecent") : we did not understand why!
"Blessed are the poor in -- err -- wordly knowledge-- when they are only eleven years old... "
PS: In Germany read Adolph Freiherr Knigge instead of Emily Post.
ReplyDeleteIn most areas of modern life etiquette has all but vanished, sadly a thing of the past.
ReplyDeleteComputer played a trick on me - with etiquette in mind I answered you first, then Rachel.
DeleteI agree with Elaine. It matters not if you change seat on the train, you will offend nobody because nobody takes any notice of anybody else, you just eat, drink, do whatever you like, cough and worse, there is no care whatsoever about anyone else who maybe sitting nearby. I would not even eat a banana on public transport. I might eat a bar of chocolate discreetly, but that is all, one piece very quietly at a time and only a small bar. And I like to wear gloves in the summer.
ReplyDeleteNow Rachel that is a coincidence! I just wrote the answer to Elaine, and when I had published it, I looked - and saw your comment - with invoking the same scene! A - those gloves - on public transport VERY sensible - what I see what people do - brrr... shudder.
DeleteThank you for becoming a follower!
DeleteYes, Elaine: I pity those children who do not learn manners, because their life will be harder. Today I saw a row of about 13 year-olds in the subway - sitting (and not tired from school) - and very old people had to stand. I offered my seat - because I think, words will achieve nothing - maybe examples. Maybe...
ReplyDeleteEating in public, aside from at a picnic?.....vulgar, according to my mother. Vulgar and inconsiderate, according to Yours Truly.
ReplyDeleteAmong the other 'no-nos'....stretching in public, scratching anything but a dog (!), sitting on the side of a bed when visiting in the hospital, speaking in a loud voice, asking personal questions, combing one's hair or doing any other sort of grooming in public......I could go on!
I agree so much with you, Pondside - I saw a woman doing her complete make-up in the underground and was tempted (though of course I didn't) to offer her a nail file and pumice for her feet :-)
DeleteI remember following Emily Post, but since my teens have read Miss Manners (journalist and etiquette expert, Judith Martin). I have lately learned she is the niece of economist-historian Selig Perlman. I wish she would run for U.S president.
ReplyDeleteI looked Judith Martin, "Miss Manners", instantly up - great! And I found out they even translated her into German (of course I will read the 'real thing').
DeleteYes - she might be a good president - someone with something in her head, and not only someone with something on his head (good manners forbid me to write: "something peculiar")