Daily Telegraph blogger Andrew Gimson thinks Americans are more polite than Brits. Brits have become yobbish, drunken, self centered louts while Americans are well mannered, articulate, considerate and kind. He expresses exactly what I experienced on moving back to USA from England last year.
Joseph Pearce is our neighbor here in Greenville. He is married to an American. I’m married to an Englishwoman. We meet often, and our dinner engagements are full of fireworks as we debate such issues.
Of course, in the debates, Joseph’s wife and I are always extremely polite and refined while he and my wife are always boorish and uncivilized. We can hardly control them as they throw bottles, yell obscenities and bellow out the most uncouth British drinking songs…
LOL! This is a funny post if I have ever seen one. Makes me want to send some of the offspring to Ave Maria so we can be invited to your dinner table. I am Brazilian (even more polite than Americans) and we love international coupes around our own dinner table. We have a French-American couple of good friends with whom we often discuss these things… that is. when we are not busy discussing the importance of Father L.’s posts and Joseph Pearce’s excellent biographies.
Didn’t know they made Nomex clericals, Fr. Dwight :-).As one who grew up in north Jersey, however, it’s good to see that Gimson formed (or perhaps confirmed) his favorable impression of Americans in Jersey City—which isn’t exactly the part of the U.S. most associated with good manners in the public mind.Peace,–Peter
I know Canadians have always been considered very polite. I think it hurts evangelism. People are just to afraid to offend anyone.
LOL! I would love to be at one of those dinner parties. Very funny post.
As an “Englishman abroad” – even if it is in New England – I can say with absolute confidence that Americans are far more polite than the Brits now. Are any of the drinking songs Bellocian?
Aah! Yes, I forgot to mention– our oldest (of seven) just returned from the Notre Dame London semester, bringing with him, alongside some good tea, some examples of rude language.
This subject reminds me of Theodore Dalrymple’s work, and my favorite line of his:”…if you examine the litter on our streets, you will find that the great majority of it derives from people eating on the streets – indeed, people often seem unable to progress more than a few yards without such refreshment.”
Does your wife read this blog? If so you might be sleeping on the sofa for the forseeable futurea! lolSharon
That was so funny! i could just imagine the scene!
From what I have seen of the USA when I visited two years ago, I would say that Americans have far better manners than the English.
I dispute my fellow countryman Ana’s assertion: Brazilians are quite impolite. From driving to doing groceries, Brazilians are second to none in rudeness.As a matter of fact, having traveled throughout America and to handful of European countries, Southerners are the gentlest people so far. I finally understood that film cliche about Southern hospitality when I moved here. 😉
You are too funny, Fr. Dwight! Your wife must be a good sport for certain!
Blast– so my lie was exposed. To my defense, be assured that the Brazilians in Brazil are much more polite, even if expressive and outgoing– than the ones here, especially the ones who come looking for work.
Hah!… We Asians have politeness down to a science. If you tried to poke us in the eye, we’d probably direct your finger. =)And look at how many times we bow! If only such courtesies are extended by our bishops to the Eucharist.