Posted on 11/28/2022 11:25:34 AM PST by Red Badger
Damn right any from any other country walks behind an American.
R. Kipling was correct, when the world needs the USA it’s “Mr Atkins”, when they don’t they want to treat us like the rest of their subjects.
We have none who demand subservience that deserve such.
Lots of my ancestors were Scots - I was raised by my historian aunt to despise Campbells. As an American, it was all kind of meaningless to me.
But I learned later a popular culture quote about the Scots that amused me: the Scots were always fighting their greatest enemies - the Scots.
I used it a few times, including for my wedding announcements, and to figure out how to address letters to members of Congress and the President when I had reason to write them. It’s very useful.
Debrett’s is a good one for British etiquette, but I’m not aware of books about the various Asian etiquettes; I’ve had to learn that by experience.
I once worked in a library with a young Hindu gentleman. One day, I had a pile of books I wanted to peruse sitting on the floor beneath my chair. I had my legs crossed, with one foot dangling over the books.
My young friend was appalled! He wasted no time in telling me that to have my feet over books was highly disrespectful.
I had worked in libraries for many years, and thought I had a lot of respect for books; but it was enlightening to learn that there are cultures with even more reverence for books and learning than I had thought I had.
It’s embarrassing to learn things that way - but better than not learning them at all.
“But I learned later a popular culture quote about the Scots that amused me: the Scots were always fighting their greatest enemies - the Scots.”
Lol! I love it! And true. Then again, everybody seemed to be fighting everybody back when. The nobles and knights loved fighting, and when there was no war they fought for fun. Jolly old time. Too bad they had no antibiotics.
I have a number of Scottish ancestors, some cool, some quite naughty. One I found interesting was Queen Margaret. I call her St. Margaret of the Gold Dishes because of a piece I read about her long ago. She was actually English, Anglo-Saxon, and had grown up in the court of King Stephen of Hungary while her family was in exile. So she had fancy ways when she turned up in Scotland and married Malcolm III.
The piece I read went on and on about how she tamed down the Scottish barons who were reportedly rather rough beasts with the most appalling table manners. Her gold dishes supposedly impressed them so, they straightened up and stopped brawling at table and acquired some manners. No mention of soup dipping, though. For some reason, I found this earnest account of her taming ways via gold dishes very funny. A quick search didn’t turn up the piece I remember, but there’s this:
“She beautified the king’s house with furniture and hangings, and introduced cups and dishes of gold and silver for the royal table. All this she did, not that she was fond of worldly show, but that the Court should be more decent and less barbarous than heretofore.”
https://sites.rootsweb.com/~nwa/margaret.html
Great book story…..we learn something every day around here.
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My Aunt said that all of the Celtic people were this way. We’re just too individualistic to ‘fall in line’...
My great-aunt called our Celtic ancestors “a fractious lot”. Our aunties might be related!
“I love HMTQ’s smile in that last photo! She was one of a kind. True class and a fun sense of humor.”
Watch this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UfiCa244XE
“🥪 👜 Ma’amalade sandwich Your Majesty?”
Amen.
I love that! Thank you! I needed a smile this morning :)
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