Total lack of manners
An entry in one of the groups reminded me of an occurrence beck in my native Glasgow in the late 60’s.
I worked in an office with many people of both sexes. Two I remember are an elderly gentleman (and I do mean gentleman) and a 20 something rabid, bad tempered women’s libber.
To the occurrence then. Picture the scene. Women’s libber heads up a corridor towards heavy fire door and the gentleman opens the door for her as she has a bag in each hand. Common courtesy you’d think? Not according to the rabid female. She launched into a shrieking tirade about her being perfectly capable of opening a (expletive deleted) door by herself.
Needless to say the elderly gentleman was somewhat shocked, but said nothing.
Three days later the bad tempered female is carrying a pile of files all containing loose papers that come up to her nose down the self same corridor when the elderly gent come the other way.
This time he passed through the fire door and let it swing back catching the women’s libber hard in the chest. Papers everywhere, she ends up on her backside and yes, off she goes in one of her tirades about manners this time.
The elderly gent, holding his temper admirably I thought, looks down at her and quietly says “Make your mind up lassie. Either you’re capable of handling a door or you’re not. Ye canny have it both ways”.
Now before i get attacked for sexism I would point out that I fully support equality for women, homosexuals, transgenders, people of various colours and creeds, BUT, like the gentleman in the story above, I abhor bad manners.
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So would seem because she was a woman’s libber, she interpreted that as not needing to be treated with respect and common courtesy……. so in her quest to be treated equal, she casts asides good manners and prefers to be treated like a lesser mortal…….what’s equal about that………defeating the object somewhat I would say that…..errrm its a funny old world….
Way may i offer a similar story? In a supermarket last year I was shopping with my son when he held the door open for a young woman laden with bags, She ranted that she was capable of opening a door… he just walked away. “Does he think im disabled?” she shouted at me, “No madam” I replied “but if you embarrass my son again you will be!!!”
Good response, Sunsip. I don’t know why people think it is acceptable to be so rude these days – on the roads, the sidewalks, walking through doors, etc. Especially young people ( not all of them – its lovely when you do see a young boy or girl who is polite and considerate) but so many think they own the street, or walk in groups and will not make way for other people, especially the elderly. Please and Thank You also seems to be a foreign language to many!
I also like the response of the elderly gentleman – and he was! – in Waylander’s account.
Lol Sun you go girl
Waylander, sexism like racism is pervasive and invasive. I just wonder why that female in your story is piled high with heavy load and the “gentleman seems to be unburdened which was very typical back in the day and still may be in some places. If you were a woman, you would not tell stories that make it appear that women’s liberation is about opening doors or not. I remember many changes that came in the 60’s and early 70’s that made women safer and gave women some career opportunities. I remember a women being murdered but the police would not respond to her calls for help. I remember a similar incident happening to me except I was threatened with a gun and the police came, saw the gun and did nothing. By the way, any man that would let a door hit anyone is no gentleman; he is a blank blank. I was a woman who wanted a destiny and equal rights. I know that some women may just want to be a helpmate and follow her man and let him bring home the bacon. It was not me and I am so glad that I got enough freedom to get educated and to live, work and have some free will.
The aim of the story was not in any way intended to be against women or equality in any way. It was intended as a, hopefully, lighthearted example of the bad manners that pervade our societies today.
Have read this in the manner it was intended Way. Manners are manners, be you, male or female, old or young. I would have no problem holding a door open for an old/young, male or female, or anyone else who came behind me!!!!! lol (should they be more laden than me)….find it a bit difficult when they march through with no comment…. I almost want to say I’m sorry!!!!!!……..lol
Manners are manners. Women’s liberation was mainly for equal pay for the same job done by a male, which today still doesn’t happen everywhere. It has gotten out of hand. I am an independent woman and I appreciate a male holding open a door for me, as I do for a male, and I always thank that person. I thank drivers for stopping for me at zebra crossings – some times that is accepted, other times people don’t accept my thanks, but that doesn’t worry me. It doesn’t take much to say “please” or “thank you” and it doesn’t diminish your “libber” thinking. Manners makes society a better place, but the young of today are not taught manners like we taught our children. The elderly mean nothing to them – they don’t move out of your way in shopping aisles, on footpaths, any where – to them it is us who have to move for them. There is no respect for very much these days, and like manners, respect needs to be taught from a young age, which obviously has been lacking in the youth of today. My opinion 🙂 🙂
A quote from my mother (probably not original, but she’s the one I remember saying it) is appropriate:-
“Manners doesn’t hurt, but the back of my hand does”