Tuesday 22 February 2011

Manners heading south

I've just spent a weekend in London as part of my studies (for want of a better, more accurate word) to become a barrister. A weekend at Middle Temple is always an experience I'd recommend to anyone. Good food, interesting company (even if it is, on occasion, a little pretentious to say the least, especially someone from last year), and a chance to hobnob with the Lord Chief Justice.

Unfortunately, Middle Temple is in London, home to one of the least mannered collection of people in the country.

I'm not sure what it is about the pace of life in the capital, but it just seems to be that decorum, good manners and what have you take second place to getting ahead of everyone else in some way. On the tube, people push, just take seats from those in need, occasionally physically assault someone and fail to apologise. Outside, people do the same and just ignore other people.

Maybe I'm not cut out for life in London if it's like that. But part of me just thinks it's not worth it. Surely you can afford to have manners, even if life is a rat-race. Just a quick 'please' or 'thank you' won't cost a moment of time but will just help to make life that bit more bearable.

And don't do what one woman did to James and aim a proper elbow right at someone and then don't apologise. If you do accidentally clobber someone, at least say sorry rather than ignore the person you've assaulted completely. Magistrates take a dim view of people who walk round clouting people.

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