What Are You Passionate About?

[emjay]

I take it you're the same then?

I guess I just see focus on politeness and manners as a British trait or stereotype, or at least a British ideal. (Not saying other places don't value it as well, just saying that since I'm British I recognise it my culture) So I wouldn't say I think it's foundationless; ie manners and politeness are taught, so they prosper wherever they are valued enough to be so taught, and don't where they are not. And guilt goes hand in hand with those rules being taught. I can't say I see much rudeness around where I live; people hold the door open for me just as much as I do for them etc. But I agree it's not universal, and there will always be people that don't care about it, but I personally don't see much cause for concern, at least around my area.

Very much the same, yes. I have this perpetual uneasiness of being impolite, even unintentionally.

It may indeed be a Britishism.  I was legally British (grew up in Northern Ireland), but we thought of ourselves as Irish, not British. My parents impressed on us - not in so many words, more by example - that if you don't behave well towards other people, you can hardly expect them to behave well towards you.  My father was a terrific proponent of treating people decently, politely and fairly. He also stressed than this can be done without having it seen as an invitation for other people to walk all over you.

Boru

I can't say exactly how I was taught it... probably the same as you, by example... ie social psychology at play I guess, both from my parents (who are both very polite and kind), and the culture I grew up in. But I think it may also be related to how my mind works, because apparently when I was a kid one of my babysitters said they'd never met a more polite child. And I think it's possibly because I recognise certain Aspie-like traits in my thinking regarding rules... when I was growing up if there was a sign that said "don't walk on the grass" I'd take it very literally and rigidly, and would under no circumstances do it, even if my life depended on it. But as time has gone on, my thinking has become more flexible and less black and white in that regard; it is still black and white to a large extent, but it recognises a lot more context, nuance, and shades of grey than it used to. But ultimately it does kind of 'snap to grid' as it were, preferring rules to the lack of them.