N
nomadologist
Guest
exactly, tht
Does it mark one out as being middle or upper class to be habitually polite?
Does minding Ps and Qs assist the smooth running of society under less than ideal conditions, or is it just a veneer of civility that obscures true power relationships and something we could do best without?
How are we defining 'polite' here? If we're talking about stuff like knowing which knife and fork to use, saying "bathroom" and "pardon?" instead of "toilet" and "what?" - things that used to be regarded as signs of 'good breading' - then I'd have to agree. If we're talking about simple everyday politeness like holding a door open for someone carrying things, or giving up your seat on a bus for an old person or a pregnant woman - well, that's just common courtesy, isn't it? You don't have to be of a certain class to realise that they're just nice, civil things to do for people.
Things like eating with your mouth open - classic 'stuff your mum would tell you off for' - is sort of intermediate. I don't think there's anything wrong with looking down on people who act in a wilfully slobbish way.
Zhao, how does the education system work in China? Can anyone get a pHD if they have the ability or is there an elite who have access to higher education? Do you have to pay for it?
How did you get from China to America?
Are we talking mainland or Hong Kong? I am very ignorant and want to be taught but I imagine it is hard to get enough money to leave mainland China for most people.
Sorry for my ignorance.
When I was a teenager in the UK everyone got free higher education and a grant to help pay for living expenses. That is gone now, you have to borrow money and pay fees.
what is unemployment level there? I hear in Germany it's something close to 30%. and in francce, 25% or something...
I was on the dole for 3 months (just recently got a job thank christ) and was getting 59 quid but no rent paid. The dole - sorry, Job Seekers Allowance- doesn't actually cover rent, let alone bills and stuff. So it basically just prolongs eventual bankruptcy as far as i can see, not exactly condusive to uninhibited creativity.
the worst thing is being force to do some crappy job that pays LESS than you would get on benefit, and they give you benefit to make it up to the same amount.
it happens.
PHP:You have to apply for housing and council tax benefit separately.
Funny, no-one ever explained this down the job centre.
What does make me fucking cross is when people get their kids 'diagnosed' with a 'personality disorder' so they can dose them up with Xanax or lithium or Ritalin or whatever at the age of five, because they basically can't be arsed to bring them up properly and help them through some difficult phase of development.
i wonder if we might actually get to a point where you can't publish books like this any more?
it does seem incredible that it's still allowed.