Category Archives: social graces

social, social graces

No One Wears Khaki Pants

Pink Pants
I was asked if I were a hipster. That made me laugh. Maybe I am. Maybe I just know people who are or know people who make things that appeal to hipsters. Hipsters are the same as millennials. Some millennials are decidedly basic. They are normcore-wearing people who are averse to student loan debt and wearing pants. Seriously, no one wears pants anymore. It is either skinny jeans, leggings or shorts. I worry about the sales of khaki pants. I don’t wear pants often either, but I have some.

Anyway, there are way too many people living on this earth. There are so many generations alive right now and because of technology and internet-sharing, you can have access to all of their thoughts and dreams. This is an excellent time to be a sociologist who can use big data to provide insights into what is the culture now and what will happen in the future.

I am more interested in learning what we can do to change anti-social behavior online and offline. Sometimes it seems that the world is so mean. It makes me sad. However, it could be that I see it more with social media and the 24-hour news cycle.

What I do know is this, “intent does not absolve you from impact”. If you have offended someone with your words and actions, then recognize that even if your intentions were good, it doesn’t matter if someone was offended. We can’t please everyone, but we can be contrite if we fail.

entertaining the idea, social graces

Netiquette or Social Graces for Techies

The Social Graces are not a myth. Despite the rude behavior of many, there are some rules, and the graceful Sloane Crosley gives us New Yorkers the skinny on “technetiquette“. [Published in 2004, this Village Voice article is still relevant. I added my notes in the brackets.]

1) Ideally, don’t use Evite. Send out a mass bcc’ed e-mail or pdf or invites on dead trees. If you somehow feel inexplicably drawn to the Evite, drop the irony act and make it as basic and functional as possible.

2) Forwards. Sloane proposes we use mass forwards for emergencies only. [With the current 2008 economic crisis, sent forwards if you may homeless, jobless or hungry. Your friends will help.]

3.Texting. Keep it simple, skip the conjunctions and the run-on sentences and remember that texting is more closely related to phoning than e-mailing.

4)Camera Phone. “It’s just a picture. Why not?” [Well, I think you should get picture approval if the pictures are going online anywhere. Or you can just stay at home.]

Update: Sloane is now author of collection of essays, I Was Told There’d Be Cake.

social graces

Wrong on So Many Levels

Here’s some tips to prevent “career limiting moves” at the holiday office party.

Don’t hit on a stranger. It just might be – and has proven to be at some holiday gigs – the boss’ spouse or significant other.

And, of course, “don’t fall down,” Thomas notes. “Falling down drunk is not good.”

Read the entire article here.