I consider myself being able to fit into every strata of society as I’ve spent a quarter of my life overseas and I am glad to say I have never experienced any snobbishness among Western people nor for that matter, any racist comments hurled my way. However, it’s a different story being in the blogging community where there are such schisms that are as wide as the Grand Canyon.
Having said that, I admit there are certain people I go out of my way to avoid like those who meet me for the 1st time and feel compelled to regal me with unsolicited blog statistics of their unique visitor numbers. If I wanted to have this information, I think there are more reliable methods than getting it from the blog owner.
So yeah, at events many go out of their way to avoid making eye contact and if eye contact is accidentally made, just pretend that you are looking at thin air. Sooner or later, the other person will avert their gaze. What I cannot fathom though is people who approach the person you are engaged in conversation with and just greet that person while coming within inches of you. I look at that person and note with amusement at the efforts taken by said person not to even glance at me, as if by a mere look, she will lose face. I find this behavior more prevalent among women than men.
I don’t have ask Miss Manners to know that whoever approaches should make the 1st move to greet those in that group. After all, I just had my space invaded and the least you can do is say hi to me and those around me and not single out one person. As if that wasn’t enough to reflect upon one’s lack of etiquette, the person then proceeds to sit at the same table with their back turned to us as we resume our interrupted conversation. Seriously, is there a Rude Person Award of the Year? If that person had any grace at all, please look for an empty seat elsewhere which should not be difficult at all since said person is so popular and famous. You simply DO NOT choose to sit at the same table as someone you avoid eye contact with on every occasion we meet and then turn your back as if avoiding some rubbish especially when there are other vacant seats.
Whatever happened to good manners?
Sad to say good manners are down the drains.
What I don’t get is why people who won’t even look me in the eye are thick skinned enough to want to sit near me when there are other seats elsewhere. Don’t like me, then please get lost.
That person must have felt lonely yet do not want to be caught by public sitting alone in a table! 🙂
Maybe Miss Manner has some eye illness that she dares not looking into your eyes hahahaha!
Good article, JJ is on target again! Looks like there are many ill mannered people out there! Perhaps my manners may not be that bad after all! Meow!