Friday, August 12, 2011

Rules of Civility & Decent Behaviour


George Washington wrote a little tome as a young man outlining what he considered civil and decent behaviour.  In light of our current societal meltdown, I thought I would take this opportunity to share a few of his rules.  I will be sharing many of them over the course of the next few weeks, but I will start with five:
  1. Every action done in company ought to be with some sign of respect to those that are present.
  2. When in company, put not your hands to any part of the body, not usually discovered.
  3. Show nothing to your friend that may affright him.
  4. In the presence of others sing not to yourself with a humming noise, nor drum with your fingers or feet.
  5. If you cough, sneeze, sigh, or yawn, do it not loud but privately; and speak not in your yawning, but put your handkerchief or hand before your face and turn aside.
As you read through these and the rules to come, think how it would affect our lives if we were to so behave today!

2 comments:

  1. Applewood Books (awb.com) out of Bedford MA has a nice little hardback copy of these rules - http://www.awb.com/catalog/product_info.php/products_id/47?osCsid=khmZ8eMhrhzKaJjuovyI33

    Also, they publish a nice little hardback copy of the Constitution.

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  2. Oh, if only! I would love to live in a world where these behaviors were commonplace. Instead, while lunching at a fast food restaurant recently I saw the following: a young man in his late 20s ordering food and then taking it to the table where his mom was sitting. Sounds nice right? Wrong. The front of his t-shirt was stick figures posed in the doggie style sexual position. His poor mom had to face that shirt and the poor excuse for a man during the whole meal! No respect.

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