Post 2 caella, communications homework help

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Politeness is the U.S. is friendlier and less strict than in Japanese and Indonesian cultures. A host offering drinks is very common in the U.S. as well as other countries. “Most foreign professionals already know that the left hand is considered unclean in many countries.” (Whitfield, 1997) I haven’t heard of only using the right hand being a sign of politeness in the U.S. Japanese politeness and etiquette is a bit extreme, but that is their culture and how they were raised to act.

The word “politeness” is expressed differently in different cultures, even though we all might share a few that are similar, there are also a lot that are different. I personally am very gracious to my guests. I will offer them drinks, food, or whatever they may need to feel comfortable in my home. Also, holding doors open for others is considered polite, especially for the elderly and disabled individuals. Saying please, thank you and you’re welcome. That is actually a big pet peeve of mine. I think it is basic respect to thank someone, like the store clerk for ringing up your groceries or saying please when ordering a meal. I also call women ma’am and men sir, that is polite in the south. Some people do not like being called ma’am and sir because they say it makes them feel old. So I don’t say it as often now.

I feel like politeness in the U.S. is diminishing. I have had so many doors shut in my face, people not saying thank you when I hold the door open for them, not saying excuse me when necessary, etc. I was going into the DMV one day and there are two doors separated by a little entrance way. I saw a older gentleman coming, so I held the first door open and he saw me, so he held the second door open for me. We both smiled at each other and he said, “At least there’s two people left in this world with manners.” It’s quite sad actually because that is just basic human respect to be polite toward others.

References

Whitfield, G.B., III. (1997). Business across cultures: Etiquette at work. Retrieved July 22, 2009, from the Living in Indonesia: A Site for Expatriates Website.