There are elements to living in a "civilized" society that frankly kind of annoy me and I believe are outdated/unnecessary.
1. Elbows on dinner table - This one's a no-brainer. Serves no practical purpose. We should be able to put elbows wherever we want.
2. Holding doors open - This one will be controversial. Most of us grew up in the South with gentlemanly stuff. But I think unless his hands are full, there should be no pressure to ever hold a door open for a dude. Dudes can open their own doors. It gets dicier for women. But if we're going to live in a world where women are treated the same as men, we have to apply the same standards. And at the end of a day, it's a door. It's not like we're lifting a car off an infant. People who aren't carrying things can open their own doors.
3. Thanking someone during an arm's length transaction - Like thanking a toll booth operator for taking your money. Or thanking the Popeyes employee for handing you food you paid for. What are we thanking them for? The payment is the thanks. Now if they go above and beyond by getting you an extra packet of sauce or something, whatever. But I think we over-thank in this society.
4. Not discussing our pay with fellow employees - This one is tricky, and I haven't really given it much thought so unlike the above, it might be wrong. But by keeping your pay secret, you're giving your employer more negotiating power for raises and payment. If Bob is doing the same thing you are for more money, you know how far you can push when asking for more money. I think the idea of keeping your salary secret and talking about it as taboo is a stratagem cooked up by the wealthy to stay that way.
Any others?
1. Elbows on dinner table - This one's a no-brainer. Serves no practical purpose. We should be able to put elbows wherever we want.
2. Holding doors open - This one will be controversial. Most of us grew up in the South with gentlemanly stuff. But I think unless his hands are full, there should be no pressure to ever hold a door open for a dude. Dudes can open their own doors. It gets dicier for women. But if we're going to live in a world where women are treated the same as men, we have to apply the same standards. And at the end of a day, it's a door. It's not like we're lifting a car off an infant. People who aren't carrying things can open their own doors.
3. Thanking someone during an arm's length transaction - Like thanking a toll booth operator for taking your money. Or thanking the Popeyes employee for handing you food you paid for. What are we thanking them for? The payment is the thanks. Now if they go above and beyond by getting you an extra packet of sauce or something, whatever. But I think we over-thank in this society.
4. Not discussing our pay with fellow employees - This one is tricky, and I haven't really given it much thought so unlike the above, it might be wrong. But by keeping your pay secret, you're giving your employer more negotiating power for raises and payment. If Bob is doing the same thing you are for more money, you know how far you can push when asking for more money. I think the idea of keeping your salary secret and talking about it as taboo is a stratagem cooked up by the wealthy to stay that way.
Any others?
