Friday, April 20, 2012

Top Ten Lessons in Civility

When I was a kid, my parents taught me certain lessons that seem to be missing from some other people's upbringings.  Here are my top ten lessons. 

  1. If it doesn't belong to you, don't touch it.
  2. Keep your hands to yourself.
  3. If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all.
  4. It's not nice to spit.  (Unless you've been shoveling out stalls, then it's necessary - but still not nice.)
  5. A lady doesn't swear.  (At least not in public.)*
  6. There are three things you shouldn't discuss in polite society: Sex, Religion and Politics.
  7. A lady doesn't kiss and tell.  (i.e. private things are best left private)
  8. Don't cut across other people's property to save time.  (Refer back to the first lesson.)
  9. It's not nice to talk about other people behind their backs.
  10. Opinions are like assholes - everybody has one.  (This last one was from my father, and he was exempt from the whole swearing thing.)

What are some lessons you learned that you wish other people would've learned, too?

*I didn't learn lesson #5 too well.  I blame Dad.  ;o)

3 comments:

  1. Pretty much the same ones as yours. I also lapse occasionally when it comes to #5 on your list!

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  2. My lessons were the same, except for the swearing. Canadians generally toss a curse word or two (sometimes three) in every other sentence, lol. However, I don't swear around the Virginians because they find it shocking, LOL. We don't mean any harm by it. Our culture is very European in many ways--and cursing happens to be one of them lol

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  3. Hmmm... my mom always had a big thing about not being a hussy and making sure to send thank you notes :) And yeah, I cus like a sailor.

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