Children and Manners

[Jorick]

Wait? You telling people to not be assholes? I think hell just froze over. That explains why I had frost on my windshield yesterday!

"Those who can, do; those who can't, teach." - George Bernard Shaw

I'm teaching.

 

[Wolves]

I think manners are overrated. What is this, the fifties? Come on. We live in a dog eat cat society. Do you wanna be a dog? Or you wanna be a cat? Do you wanna teach your kid manners? Or do you wanna teach your kid how not to be a lil bitch?

easy decision, fam

 

[idlehands]

Manners gets kids abducted off the street.

 

[Wolves]

Manners gets kids abducted off the street.

Exactly. See, it's kind of like this.

Your kid, Little Johnboy, is walking down the street, and all of a sudden a white van rolls up n two dudes tell him to get in if he wants free candy n lil johnny like "b ionno you like forreal im jus tryna get back to the crib n shit." N son maybe that woulda been the end of it but lil johnny tryna be polite n shit. You get a kid out the stead wit no manners whatsoever n that kid aint even givin these dudes tha time of day nahmean b

so yea lil johnny gets in the van n shows up on the news two weeks out forreal

 

[Hope]

Exactly. See, it's kind of like this.

Your kid, Little Johnboy, is walking down the street, and all of a sudden a white van rolls up n two dudes tell him to get in if he wants free candy n lil johnny like "b ionno you like forreal im jus tryna get back to the crib n shit." N son maybe that woulda been the end of it but lil johnny tryna be polite n shit. You get a kid out the stead wit no manners whatsoever n that kid aint even givin these dudes tha time of day nahmean b

so yea lil johnny gets in the van n shows up on the news two weeks out forreal

Yeah...

OR

Parents can I don't know... teach their kids not to talk to strangers. No matter what. I was a polite kid but I knew better because that's what my parents taught me. Why would it have to be either or? It is possible for a child to be polite and smart.

 

[idlehands]

Right because being polite and not talking to strangers goes hand in hand.

 

[Wolves]

Yeah...

OR

Parents can I don't know... teach their kids not to talk to strangers. No matter what. I was a polite kid but I knew better because that's what my parents taught me. Why would it have to be either or? It is possible for a child to be polite and smart.

As someone who knows several children, I can say from experience that literally no children are smart. I'm not even sure they're people tbh

 

[Hope]

Right because being polite and not talking to strangers goes hand in hand.

Exactly right. What does being polite have to do with talking to strangers? So you're saying for someone to be polite they have to talk to strangers? Interesting. So a child that is taught not to talk to strangers and walks away or runs away when a stranger beckons them near are considered rude? Even though parents and society teaches them that it is not wise to talk to strangers and if they are approached by one they should turn away and go to an adult? Well that's a shame. I suppose it comes down to being polite and kidnapped/murdered or being a rude individual and being safe. What a shame.

Edit:
I'm a firm believer that EVERYONE has a right to their own opinion. I also believe in not wasting my breath. You can have your opinions, but I really don't care enough to argue the points any farther.

 

[Wolves]

Exactly right. What does being polite have to do with talking to strangers? So you're saying for someone to be polite they have to talk to strangers? Interesting. So a child that is taught not to talk to strangers and walks away or runs away when a stranger beckons them near are considered rude? Even though parents and society teaches them that it is not wise to talk to strangers and if they are approached by one they should turn away and go to an adult? Well that's a shame. I suppose it comes down to being polite and kidnapped/murdered or being a rude individual and being safe. What a shame.

Edit:
I'm a firm believer that EVERYONE has a right to their own opinion. I also believe in not wasting my breath. You can have your opinions, but I really don't care enough to argue the points any farther.

Maybe in America this is option, but in my native Serbia the people have long memories. During Bosnian War, no man, woman, or child was safe from Herzegovinian Army. Better to be rude and alive, than trusting and dead.

 

[Sirona]

Exactly right. What does being polite have to do with talking to strangers? So you're saying for someone to be polite they have to talk to strangers? Interesting. So a child that is taught not to talk to strangers and walks away or runs away when a stranger beckons them near are considered rude? Even though parents and society teaches them that it is not wise to talk to strangers and if they are approached by one they should turn away and go to an adult? Well that's a shame. I suppose it comes down to being polite and kidnapped/murdered or being a rude individual and being safe. What a shame.

Edit:
I'm a firm believer that EVERYONE has a right to their own opinion. I also believe in not wasting my breath. You can have your opinions, but I really don't care enough to argue the points any farther.

I come from a place where you have to say hi and nod to any stranger who walks by, otherwise you're considered rude.
In a crowded city however, that's simply not possible and it isn't considered rude to pretend that all the strangers don't even exist.
In other words, what is and isn't polite depends entirely on the context the a situation. It's not productive to say "X is polite while Y isn't" because X and Y might be polite in the contexts in which you live, but they might not be polite in mine or someone else's.

 

[idlehands]

Exactly right. What does being polite have to do with talking to strangers? So you're saying for someone to be polite they have to talk to strangers? Interesting. So a child that is taught not to talk to strangers and walks away or runs away when a stranger beckons them near are considered rude? Even though parents and society teaches them that it is not wise to talk to strangers and if they are approached by one they should turn away and go to an adult? Well that's a shame. I suppose it comes down to being polite and kidnapped/murdered or being a rude individual and being safe. What a shame.

Edit:
I'm a firm believer that EVERYONE has a right to their own opinion. I also believe in not wasting my breath. You can have your opinions, but I really don't care enough to argue the points any farther.

Being overly polite gets people in trouble, they don't know how or can't muster the nerve to say no or get out of a situation that makes them uncomfortable because they're afraid of being rude. I'm not saying kids have to be rude little shits.

 

[Asuras]

"Can I have that/Can I do this...etc instead of 'may I'.

Ffs. This is the sort of thing that allows us to make fun of teachers when they correct us upon asking if we, "Can go to the bathroom?"

 

[Cpt Toellner]

 

[Smiral]

My parents were very clear on this subject when I was being raised: be as respectful as possible unless someone proves they don't deserve it.

My first instinct is to be friendly and polite; I always say thank you, I always open doors, I always let someone go ahead of me. However, if you don't return with the same level of respect and politeness, I will let you know that you're being a piece of shit, and I expect you to do the same if I happen to be the one stepping on toes.

 

[Space Cowboy]

You know that old saying, "It takes a village"?

Yeah. Teach your kids manners, or I'll make sure they get that stern talking to that they absolutely need.

It also needs to come back. So many little shits 18 and under run around acting like... little shits. You have any idea how badly I want to backhand some of you people?!



ALSO, just to keep the circle jerk going, I disagree with the can I/may I. While the whole language evolves shit applies, I think there is a manner of propriety applied towards the phrase. "May I?" is a proper, polite way to ask a request. "Can I?" is simply asking permission.



/micdrop

 

[Muna]

As someone who knows several children, I can say from experience that literally no children are smart. I'm not even sure they're people tbh

LOL Wow. So... seriously, what did I just read?

As someone who has actually created a tiny human - as well as harboring the talent of respect for not only my elders but those younger than me as well - I can say from experience that some children may even be smarter than most adults I've come across. Children don't understand how to judge others and don't always go out of their way to be offensive. Sure, they may lack manners and social skills, but the degree of that lies with their parents. If the parent is an asshole, more than likely the child will be too. At some point, children have to grow up and that skill of acceptance is lost along the way.

 

[idlehands]

LOL Wow. So... seriously, what did I just read?

As someone who has actually created a tiny human - as well as harboring the talent of respect for not only my elders but those younger than me as well - I can say from experience that some children may even be smarter than most adults I've come across. Children don't understand how to judge others and don't always go out of their way to be offensive. Sure, they may lack manners and social skills, but the degree of that lies with their parents. If the parent is an asshole, more than likely the child will be too. At some point, children have to grow up and that skill of acceptance is lost along the way.

Well, as a mother...

That's it, debate is over.

 

[Muna]

Well, as a mother...

That's it, debate is over.

So my expressing my opinion in the same way Wolves did means it's over? I wasn't aware that's how discussions work.

 

[Wolves]

Well, as a mother...

That's it, debate is over.

I capitulate to the experts.

 

[idlehands]

So my expressing my opinion in the same way Wolves did means it's over? I wasn't aware that's how discussions work.

It's sarcasm. Most of the shit I say is just that. Shit and sarcasm.