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I've been thinking about the idea that manners are just a social construct, and it's kind of engaging when you pick it apart. We're taught from a young age to say "please" and "thank you," but are they actually necesary for effective communication, or just a way to grease the social wheels and maintain a hierarchy? Is holding the door open truly about politeness, or reinforcing gendered expectations?
Obviously, some "manners" like not interrupting someone or being considerate of noise levels are crucial for a functioning society. but others seem much more arbitrary. For instance, what constitutes "polite" table manners varies wildly across cultures.What's considered refined in one place could be deeply offensive somewhere else.
So, where do we draw the line? Are some manners genuinely universal principles of respect, or are they all just arbitrary rules we've collectively agreed to follow? What happens when those rules actively exclude or disadvantage certain groups? I'm curious to hear other people's perspectives on this.