Sunday, February 7, 2010

Modern Manners Monday

"A Dinner Table At Night" by John Singer Sargent

Many hold the erroneous impression that etiquette and manners are laborious and impractical in a modern world. In fact, it is nonessential to be informed of proper protocol; etiquette, and thusly manners, requires only a single effort upon which all else follows: an awareness of one’s environment and his or her place within it. If one dissects each encounter of indecorousness, its provenance is assuredly anchored to an individual bereft of self-awareness. Technology has metastasized obliviousness, yet Luddite I am not. I live by one elementary edict: never allow a device to supplant humanity.


7 comments:

  1. Very well said! Technology should not be used as an excuse to be discourteous. And who can resist Sargent?
    Best,
    Stephanie

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  2. I see Sargent murals on a daily basis, and immediately felt an affinity for this post. If this really is your primary edict, I am hard-pressed to think of a superior one.

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  3. i love sargent especially the portraits.

    www.chichunters.blogspot.com

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  4. Eloquently articulated. It is little wonder I spotted you by way of Miss Cavendish.

    I must thank you for this Sargeant image. I'm intrigued by the hierarchy of man to woman to object that is explored within this canvas. What and who is on display? What a fantastic way to start the day!

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  5. I agree most completely with your thoughts on modern technology keeping it's place, and not replacing (or denying dignity to) our fellow man. As "vir beātum" stated, a superior edict to strive for.

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Inspire me! Go on, I dare you.