Etiquette Peeves

Charles Knight writes:

quote:

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you guys should never go and watch bollywood movies - I went to a few with some indian friends and people are talking and wandering the cinema as will.

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Oh, I understand the concept of cultural differences when it comes to movies. At the risk of being called a racist, the culture of certain areas that are predominantly black have created a movie social situation where talking, and loudly, is not considered rude.Now, I understand the desire. I was, after all, a big Rocky Horror geek (though I never made it to my 69th viewing whereupon I would regain my virginity and need to be re-auctioned). Yelling back at the screen was the entire point. Every now and again, you would find the fools who would come to RHPS and actually complain that they couldn't hear the movie because all of us were shouting. (*blink!*) You did not just say that, did you? What on earth did you think happened at RHPS? You don't go to the movie to actually watch the movie but to be part of the crowd.I would think that there is a difference between the type of movie that is supposed to generate audience reaction and the kind of movie where you are supposed to pay attention and keep your flippin' comments to yourself. "What is that?! What is that?!" I don't know! They didn't say! Let's shut up, watch together, and find out!

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Rrhain
WWJD? JWRTFM!

Todays' peeve (or perhaps last nights): Shitty kids who come trick or treating and don't say 'thank you'.

For me it's just shitty kids who come trick or treating. It's an American tradition - it should have stayed over there. Keep Bonfire Night Special I say !How did we end up getting infected ? One of my friends says it all started with the movie ET, but I'm not sure about that.

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Confused ? You will be...

Technically it's an American bastardisation of an Irish and Scottish tradition that got further mangled when it came back over here.And, yeah - the American's can keep it.

Hello Rrhain,
The general public can be down right rude. The talking on the cell phone in the store example while someone is wanting to check you out, or the clerks carrying on they're own converstations while you stand there being checked out.
I could give a rats ass what time my grocery clerk gets off work or where they are going when the do get off work. It seems there is no interaction since the scanners tally the merchandise and a read out tells you what you owe. The clerk simply stands there carrying on as if you don't exist.Please and Thank you practically non existant in todays converstation; to the point of being frowned upon or nerdy to be polite and civil.It seems that urban living requires one act like an asshole to prevent one being victimized as meek . I visited NYC last year and realized that urban culture has somehow leaked into suburbs of mainstreet USA.I was in the mall the other day and a couple of teenage girls walked past . One of the girls dropped some change on the ground. I stooped down and picked it up for her but she continued walking as it she did not notice dropping the change.
I called out to her saying " Hey, you dropped some money." She
looked back and in a sarcastic tone said keep it. As if she could not be bothered with me or my wanting to return her change. I stood there thinking I must be getting old because I do not understand the younger generation at times.

Hi Jack,
Like most holidays in the US, Halloween has become all about making money. IMO. The prelude to Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Great thread, I have a question.When the theatre is crowded and people inevetibly have to squeeze past you to get to an empty seat what is the poilite thing to do? Standing up to let the person by would seem to be your best bet but for the fact that it is faster to sort of pull your knees up to let them by.I'm a skinny fellow myself so people tend to have ample room to get by when I pull my knees up. Is it more polite to give the gesture by standing up or should we let expediancy guide us?Incedentaly I have less of a problem with people talking durning movies than I do when people talk durning LIVE PREFORMANCES. I was in a play on long island recently and there were people talking, as if they were at a movie, during every single preformance!Not only would they talk to eachother they would directly address me and the other actors during climacitc scenes. This was not meant to be interactive theatre. Weird.