Welcome to our blog!
What a pleasure to welcome you to the first of our
June Dally-Watkins blogs!
Every two weeks check out your Inbox for a deeper dig into:
What Would June Dally-Watkins Do?
Because as we try to navigate a way forward during this time of massive change and disruption to what we thought were excepted social graces, we are officially opening up the modern manners chat to you.
We felt compelled to start this blog because we feel that every area within the known boundaries of good manners is being challenged. Some people know the Do’s and the Don’ts around good manners, others would like to learn them. Others think the whole manners question is ridiculously old fashioned. Others have not yet formed opinions. But everyone realises that something has changed in the way we relate and behave towards each other – privately and publicly.
Awkward silences and surreptitious glances plague us when someone jumps the queue.
When no one stands up for an elderly and fragile passenger.
When men and boys don’t know whether to hold a door open for others.
When Grace Tame’s scowl goes viral.
When women struggle with being heard because they’ve been taught to ‘smile and look pretty.’
How do we handle those situations? Do social etiquette rules exist anymore? Should we stick to them? How do we stick to them when all around us bad manners seem to be the norm?
How are we supposed to show kindness and consideration in a time when the ‘squeaky wheel gets the oil?’
Essentially, we feel there is vast confusion over socially right and wrong behaviour, and we’d like to address that. Discuss and dissect that.
In our blog series, we will ask the difficult questions. The issues we hear about over and over again. Not just from Baby Boomers but also from Gen X’s and Millennials. Social behaviour expectations have changed and continue to change rapidly, as social media morphs the parameters of our beliefs and outlooks. Intergenerational feminism challenges not only mothers and daughters, but also sons and fathers.
Let’s open it up and have a look at it.
Our blogs will also examine the humanity surrounding etiquette. We’ll look at whether knowing the Do’s and the Don’ts is a blessing or a curse. We want to open up the modern manners conversation — as it seems to us that manners, etiquette, and all things polite have not only become muddy but also a mine field.
Manners is a tricky business. But it’s our business and we’d like to share it with you.
If you’d like to jump over to our Podcast to listen to more on the dilemmas of modern manners in a modern world, follow this link. Manners Through the Years and Why Everyone can Afford to Have Them