George Washington's Rules of Civility
But would they really? The Ricochet Code of Conduct's got nothing on George Washington's Rules of Civility. Consider, for example, the following choice morsels:
Rule No. 1: Every Action done in Company, ought to be with Some Sign of Respect, to those that are Present.
Rule No. 23: When you see a Crime punished, you may be inwardly Pleased; but always show Pity to the Suffering Offender.
Rule No. 35: Let your Discourse with Men of Business be Short and Comprehensive.
Rule No. 42: Let thy ceremonies in Courtesy be proper to the Dignity of his place with whom thou converses for it is absurd to act the same with a Clown and a Prince.
Rule No. 47: Mock not nor Jest at any thing of Importance break [n]o Jest that are Sharp Biting and if you Deliver any thing witty and Pleasant abstain from Laughing thereat yourself.
Rule No. 48: Wherein you reprove Another be unblameable yourself; for example is more prevalent than Precepts.
Rule No. 49: Use no Reproachful Language against any one neither Curse nor Revile.
Rule No. 50: Be not hasty to believe flying Reports to the Disparagement of any.
Rule No. 58: Let your Conversation be without Malice or Envy, for 'is a Sign of a Tractable and Commendable Nature: And in all Causes of Passion admit Reason to Govern.
Rule No. 59: Never express anything unbecoming, nor Act against the Rules Moral before your inferiors.
Give Washington's Rules of Civility a quick read-through. Are there any that we should consider enforcing here on Ricochet?
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Comments :
Jul '10
Re: George Washington's Rules of Civility
Great post, Diane. Certainly makes me reflect on my own conduct.
Aug '10
Re: George Washington's Rules of Civility
Well, if Ricochet adapts rule #47 you may as well shut the place down!
In all seriousness, I can only dream how much better our society would be if we all followed these rules, many of which are similar to those given by the humble Carpenter of Galilee...
May '10
Re: George Washington's Rules of Civility
Wonderful rules. I confess, though, to having trouble with bygone sentence structures. For example: what does #31 mean? I've read it about 15 times, and am none the wiser.
Aug '10
Re: George Washington's Rules of Civility
"If any one far Surpasses others, either in age, Estate, or Merit yet would give Place to a meaner than himself in his own lodging or elsewhere the one ought not to except it, So he on the other part should not use much earnestness nor offer it above once or twice."
That depends on whether "except" is really supposed to be "except" (and not "accept" -- the Founders sometimes misspelled, too -- heck spelling wasn't entirely standardized back then).
If it's supposed to be "except", as in "take exception to", then probably it means something like this:
If a person of higher rank than you offers you a place of honor, don't object. But the high-ranking person should not offer insistently in any case.
If it was supposed to be "accept" then it might mean:
If a person of higher rank than you offers you a place of honor, don't accept it. And he should not insist on doing you this honor.
May '10
Re: George Washington's Rules of Civility
Considering the way Jefferson and (the non-pictured) John Adams spoke of each other during their Federalist period, they would have both been kicked to the curb.
I would, however, love to see the conversation between Messrs. Robinson and Long and the Founding Fathers on why Free Speech isn't free and just what exactly is a grande latte.
Edited on Jan 17, 2011 at 11:08amMay '10
Re: George Washington's Rules of Civility
I like them all except Rule #42. One of the blessings of the internet is that you address people on the level of ideas, not title or station. If I was a prince (or maybe I am...) I'd be relieved at the anonymity and honesty of online peasant life.
Edited on Jan 17, 2011 at 11:21amMay '10
Re: George Washington's Rules of Civility
Aw, that's like a century old. So confusing.
Still I do manage to doff the cap and tug the forelock in the presence of editrices.
May '10
Re: George Washington's Rules of Civility
Ah, disagree (with the utmost civility). Which is why I use the word perfesser before addressing anyone of importance.
Aug '10
Re: George Washington's Rules of Civility
These are wonderful things. Washington must have felt as if he were the father to a whole country to have penned and handed this down. No one but a father or guardian would bother to teach the simple rules to their child. It's like telling a child or young person how to shake hands.It's a simple thing that resonates throughout one's life. Improving it and improving their chances.
Says alot about self-realization and being a parent.
I would say that we should review our own interaction with these rules, make sure that we have passed on the good ones to our children in the hopes that the future of our country will be governed by such good manners and respect for our neighbors, our leaders, and our wards.
As for applying it to Ricochet, maybe when the snark has been devalued relative to the Euro.
Edited on Jan 17, 2011 at 11:26amJun '10
Re: George Washington's Rules of Civility
"Give Washington's Rules of Civility a quick read-through. Are there any that we should consider enforcing here on Ricochet?"
No, but after reading these, I'm ashamed to go back out in public. Very humbling.
Still, I can't imagine that ole Georgie doesn't have a quote somewhere saying that George III was a moron.
May '10
Re: George Washington's Rules of Civility
Kennedy Smith
Ah, disagree (with the utmost civility). Which is why I use the word perfesser before addressing anyone of importance. · Jan 17 at 11:22am
Well, that's easy for you to say, dressed up like a dandy - ruffles, cloak, embroidered vest/man-corset and all.
May '10
Re: George Washington's Rules of Civility
Joe S.
Kennedy Smith
Ah, disagree (with the utmost civility). Which is why I use the word perfesser before addressing anyone of importance. · Jan 17 at 11:22am
Well, that's easy for you to say, dressed up like a dandy - ruffles, cloak, embroidered vest/man-corset and all. · Jan 17 at 11:36am
Fightin words! Don't make me go Full Hamilton.
Aug '10
Re: George Washington's Rules of Civility
I don't care what he says, nobody's gonna stop me from cleaning my teeth with the tablecloth.
Aug '10
Re: George Washington's Rules of Civility
You forgot the last one : 'Now lets' go kill some Redcoats!'
sorry.... couldn't resist.
Oct '10
Re: George Washington's Rules of Civility
nordman: You forgot the last one : 'Now lets' go kill some Redcoats!'
sorry.... couldn't resist. · Jan 17 at 12:15pm
I'd have thought the last one would be: "No threads about Sarah Palin or bullfighting." ;)
Re: George Washington's Rules of Civility
This just in from EJHill:
Oct '10
Re: George Washington's Rules of Civility
In spirit Yes... The translation would be another thing...
Recall a teacher of long ago lamenting the loss of the writng craft and skills therein.
Blamed it on the invention of the ballpoint pen, some truth there.
Alas, where hath gone the art of civility and communication...
On another point, civility and respectfull interactions among people has continued for many years......Violations of same were minimal to avoid small things like dental work or hospitals.
The Internet or current news media with all its sides, has left folk unaccountable for their deeds. These actions as has also fostered a genuine lack of respect overall, but thats your point...
Edited on Jan 17, 2011 at 2:13pmDec '10
Re: George Washington's Rules of Civility
I recall reading these many years ago and marvelling at the age he was when he wrote them; as I recall, he was quite young. Then I ran across Ben Franklin's similar personal code, which he also wrote when very young. This was apparently common at that time, for people to personalize a code of conduct and write it down.
For myself, I have tried through the years to be as civil as I could, as often as I could, but could never live up to this code. As Nordman pointed out, Washington had many other outlets for expressing his dissatisfaction. In our modern world, sometimes ridicule is the only weapon we have against adversaries. Government and the courts all tend to favor, respectively, government and the legal class. What's a farmer and brewer, as were Washington, to do when the government clamps down on his distillery, then claims his fertile "bottom land" as wetland. John Adams, too, was very proud of his efforts at "reclaiming" his "excellent marsh". What would Adams have thought, how much civility would he have mustered, had his marsh lands been excised from his meager holdings, from all use apart from calculating taxation?
May '10
Re: George Washington's Rules of Civility
I think it appropriate to note that GW was head of state. The Emperor of Austria-Hungary once said to an architect about the Vienna Opera "it's rather low to the ground." The architect killed himself. After which, His Imperial Majesty was so shocked that he from then on only said, when asked his opinion on anything "it's very nice, I like it very much".
Which wasn't especially interesting.