Holding Etiquette in Contempt and Awe

“One would have to be rather stupid, not to notice that a boy or girl who is at ease at a party usually has a better time than one who isn't. Good manners as a rule are synonymous with charm, allurement, distinction and tact.” — Marjorie Hillis, 1939

SOPHISTICATED YOUTH DEBUNKS ETIQUETTE

AH, blasé youth, with its ultra modern sophistication - how the youngsters take delight in holding etiquette up to contempt while standing in secret awe of it.

This contradiction in their make-up is nothing more than assumed bravado, a false front, a bluff to hide their own shortcomings. They think that by deliberately breaking the rules of good manners, they can escape the danger of doing the right thing wrong. For example, some youngsters would rather dart away without bidding their hostess good-bye than take the chance of doing a bad job of it.

The real tragedy is that these youngsters fail to realize how important a part etiquette plays in their lives. As Marjorie Hillis points out in her article, “Mind your P's and Q's,” in the March Good Housekeeping, etiquette - which is just another name for good manners - is as definite an asset as cash. 

Good manners are aids in getting jobs; they pave the way for the making of valuable contacts, and they give poise and confidence in these highly competitive times. One would have to be rather stupid, Miss Hillis says, not to notice that a boy or girl who is at ease at a party usually has a better time than one who isn't. Good manners as a rule are synonymous with charm, allurement, distinction and tact.

Etiquette is so easy to acquire, It can almost be had for the asking. The first step to get it is to buy a good etiquette book. Then sit down and study it, marking for extra consideration those problems you ought to look out for. Simply studying the rules, willy-nilly, is not enough, however; you must also learn the reasons behind the rules.

This policy of minding your P's and Q's pays off in big odds at the end: a better job, more invitations, greater popularity, longer-lasting friends. And, aside from any practical gains, it makes a gentleman or gentlewoman out of you. This is a gift, a proud possession, which no money or influence can buy. –Wilmington Press Journal, 1939

 🍽️Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J. Graber of The RSVP Institute of Etiquette, is the Site Editor of the Etiquipedia© Etiquette Encyclopedia