I am rude. Therefore, you should be ashamed.

"Are you trying to shame me for reacting to your rudeness?”?

I wish all polite people had the confidence to answer calmly and logically whenever they are aggressed for defending their rights.?

Here’s a screenplay for a short film, based on one thousand true stories:?

The Meeting (v1)

INT. OFFICE. DAY.

Martha is exposing the conclusions of her analysis of the Bluetooth speaker market.?

MARTHA: The market is dominated by Alternate Pears and JTN followed closely by Roses and Tulips. If we want to find a place, we need to…

LISA (interrupts her): Listen, why don’t we look at…

For a moment Martha is destabilized. She gathers her thoughts and answers.

MARTHA: Lisa, I will ask for suggestions in a moment. Could you please let me finish exposing my analysis?

Lisa adds a new layer of rudeness:

LISA: What's wrong with you, Martha? Why do you always have to be such a pain in the neck? Can’t you just follow the conversation like everybody else??

This open attack is too much for Martha. Doubt kicks in. She stops and sighs. The spark in her eyes is lost.

?

It happened near you

This scenario happens unfortunately way too often – in families, at school, in the neighborhood or at the workplace.

Rude people do not respect basic rules of social interaction and, when faced to their own behavior, instead of apologizing, justify their rudeness and try to shame the polite ones.?

The damage continues, as the polite ones, instead of defending the values they believe in, allow doubt to infiltrate in their thoughts. “What if they are right? What if I am overreacting?” ?

And throw in the towel, thus facilitating the spread and normalization of rudeness.?

??

I wish all polite people had the lucidity and the calm to follow their thoughts and instinct. Because that tiny voice that has been silenced in their head was actually right.?

Here’s an alternate continuation for that conversation.

The Meeting v2

INT. OFFICE. DAY.

...Lisa adds a new layer of rudeness:

LISA: What's wrong with you, Martha? Why do you always have to be such a pain in the neck? Can’t you just follow the conversation like everybody else?

Martha remains calm, smiles and answers:

MARTHA: Are you trying to shame me for reacting to your rudeness??

A moment of silence.?Martha continues her phrase with the excitement she had before.

MARTHA: If we want to have a place in the market, we need to find a niche that is not covered by the big four producers. Like shower speakers, or speakers for children for example. ?

?

You can do it

Repeat this phrase after me, learn it by heart and be ready to say it out loud next time somebody justifies their behavior instead of apologizing.?

“Are you trying to shame me for reacting to your rudeness?”.?

?

Polite people of the world, unite!?

#politeness #education #ethics