Talk To The Hand ,Lynne Truss

one of my favourite paragraphs :
“Have you ever noticed how many role models there are in popular culture for rudeness, crassness, laddishness and nastiness? “Oh, Anne Robinson! She’s so rude!” “Oh, Jonathan Ross! He’s so rude!” “Oh, Graham Norton! He’s so rude! Count the roles models for respectfulness, on the other hand, and after a couple of hours you will have to admit there is only one: Babe. That’s it. Just one small sturdy imaginary sheep-pig stands between us and total moral decay”.

Written in a slightly jaded way,more pro the French for their good manners than the English.In fact,i do believe that both cultures are authentically well-respected for their culture.Personally,I find the both the English and the French are as well-mannered,just that many people think that the French are aloof to people who don’t try to use some French with them.seriously,ask the English,if they could really hold a simple conversation not using English,many English will give you a look.English is the langauge.But ask the French if they could hold a simple conversation not using French,many would say ‘Mais Oui ! ‘

Back to the book,
I love the way she writes,in fact,I do believe that this book is pinned highly on critics,if you do not enjoy reading reviews and critics ,you can give this book a miss.As this book is about her giving examples of issues with supporting theories and quotes from various big ideologists .Pretty witty,not a page-turning style but its a style that one could adopt and use it on social events to win brownie points on wittiness,provided that you could site the real examples.

The Six Good Reasons are:
1: Was that so hard to say?
(basic manners)
2:Why am I the One doing this?
(the D-I-Y of service providers)

3:My Bubble,My Rules
(concept of personal space,2m infront,1m behind)

4:The universal Eff-Off Reflex
(the pathetic modern parents and the poor rich child)

5:Booing the Judges
(Inflammation,moral contortion)

5:Someone Else Will Clean it up
(the disappearance of graciousness & selfish use of public goods)

My favourite few sentences are:
If you want a short-cut to an alien culture these days,there is no quicker route than to look at a French phrase book.’

‘In the introduction to this book,I quoted banjamin Rush from 1786,to the effect that a schoolboy should learn that he does not belong to himself,but that he is a public property’

We are all equal in the sight of the Highway Code.

and of coz here comes Henry James: Three things in human life are important.The first is to be kind.The second is to be kind.The third is to be kind.

Personally,I have tried,poor as a churchmouse I m,I do believe in parting my cents as appreciation to service providers.i ‘donate’ 20 cents if the cab fare is $8.80.I give my friends some treats whenever I can.It’s nice to know that you have done a good deed.I thank them for providing me the opportunity to grow as a gracious person,without them i could only use it feeding the pigeons.:P

Sometimes,parting away a mere 20 cents gives both parties so much pleasure.So does a ‘Hi’,'Thanks’ and ‘Goodbye’.

Come 1 April where I shall fly direct and absorb the culture of Aliens where everyone says ‘Bonjour’ and where everyone says ‘Merci ,Au revoir’

and now I guess I just have to talk to the hand.