Norms 2: Facades

All these thoughts about norms has led me to thinking about manners, some of which are social norms.

I’ve been thinking about them in specific relation to driving. I consider a majority of driver’s to be rude and inconsiderate pricks. (Note: this is in relation to their driving habits, not their whole person.) I have a laundry list of ways people could drive more courteously (which I won’t bore you with here.) I believe if these were implement by everyone driving would be less stressful, smoother and faster.

Given the fact that i am not king, and cannot imposed the death penalty for being a prick while driving, I live with and have worked at ways to keep my stress level low while driving.

The point is, I’ve chosen not to be stressed.

What differentiates driving manners from eating manners is that they have tangible benefits for others, whereas eating manners are solely about showing that I’m cultured in some manner. note, this doesn’t mean that I’m cultured, only that I know how to show it. It is possible for me to place a false facade to appear cultured or uncultured.

(An aside, think of Titanic where Jack places a facade to appear cultured at a dinner with Rose. Note all of the extraneous formalities that sever little purpose other than to say “I’m cultured”)

But the crux of it is, I’m not going to put some show just so people think I’m someone I’m not. If little bullshit things like that are going to drive them away, it is to both our benefits.