Sarah Morgan
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- Thou shalt RSVP. When someone has the kindness to invite you, the very least thou owest is a response. Yes, Evites count.
- Credit thy sources. It is as appropriate in life as in academia to admit when ideas are not thy own.
- Thou shalt not look annoyed if passers-by become engaged with thy cell phone conversations. Thou art having a public conversation. They hath ears. Do the math.
- Ye who walketh while you texteth, get in the slow lane and out of the way of those who art walking with a purpose.
- When thou dost not receiveth an instantaneous response, the rules of basic civility do not go instantly into abeyance. You do not get to yell at people for not being on email.
I’ve probably broken these as often as I’ve upheld them, but that makes them none the less important.
Now, what can you add to the list?
(Edited to add: the day after I published this, both Chris Brogan and B.L. Ochman came out with posts on that last topic. Seriously, people. Fast does not equal good. Being deliberate is a good thing.)
I agree with the sentiment behind #1 – if someone takes the time to personally invite me to something, the least I can do is take the time to let them know if I’m coming. Unfortunately, when applied to social media, where certain people feel the need to invite their entire Facebook friend list to, say, their fave yoga class on the other side of the country, it no longer applies. Such people are not “taking the time to personally invite me” to anything. They are spamming me, plain and simple. If I receive a real invite from a friend to an event I might realistically attend, then yes, #1 applies. But if you’re sending me the 4th invite to your birthday party two states away and we haven’t even spoken in 25 years? You will get nothing and like it.
LOVE this post.
I agree with Doug on #1.
I perhaps I will start becoming engaged with my fellow commuters’ cell phone conversations. If they think it’s appropriate to have a full volume private conversation in an enclosed public space at the cost of everyone’s peace and quiet, I think it’s appropriate to lean in, listen closely, and react enthusiastically.
I would add, most importantly, “Thou shalt NEVER text/tweet/facebook/email/otherwise enter text onto a handheld electronic device blahblahfishcakes whilst driving.” I know it’s against the law and might go without saying, but that doesn’t seem to stop people from doing it (myself, admittedly, included) and it’s dangerous and bad, so it seems it should be said.
Both Doug and Karen are, of course, smart and right.
I guess I don’t even think of those quasi-anonymous Facebook “I’m having a keg party in Duluth and we went to grammar school together!” events as invitations. Rude of me, perhaps, but they barely even register on my radar.
And yes, no gadgets while driving. I am trying to remember to throw my purse in the back seat instead of the passenger seat so I won’t even be tempted, but it’s an old habit that’s taking some time to change.