Old School Etiquettes That Are Changing In The Modern Society

As our society changes and modernizes, our manners must also modify to adapt to the fast-changing world around us.

In the age of globalization, fused with the rise of ecological concerns and various modes of communication, some new etiquettes have been added while many old-school mannerisms are getting discarded or tweaked. Etiquettes that were formerly perceived as the standard custom are now slowly becoming obsolete, and we have mentioned some practices below—that modern society has modified for good.

Use of gender-neutral pronouns

Even a decade ago, most people assumed that their male colleague’s spouse should be a woman or a female friend’s partner would be a man. But this norm is on the brink of extinction. In modern society, you should not assume an individual’s marital status—a lot of people prefer not to get married despite being in a relationship or not wearing their wedding ring—and you should not assume anyone’s gender either. Until you are sure of a person’s preference, you should consider using gender-neutral pronouns.

Opening doors for women is not necessary anymore.

Chivalry isn’t dead—but the actions that previously showed respect to women are gradually changing. Gestures like pulling out chairs and opening doors for women are not considered rude, but these actions are not deemed necessary anymore.

You can place your elbow on the dining table.

During medieval times, knights placed wooden planks on scaffolds to create tables for feasts. If too many table neighbors simultaneously placed their elbows on it, the table would flip. As a result, the custom of not resting elbows on the table came into existence. But tables are stable now, and between courses, you can rest your elbows on them if you want to.

Both men and women can attend baby showers.

Even a decade ago, people considered baby showers a celebration exclusively designed for women to share their memories and experiences of motherhood together. But in modern society, you can invite whoever you like. Men are now attending baby showers and are more actively accepting parenting roles than fathers did in the past. So go ahead, and invite everyone who will become a part of your baby’s life, regardless of gender.

You can return a call with a text message.

Previously, it was considered rude to not return a phone call, but it has now become common to leave a text message instead of calling back. While this may not be the ideal way of communicating with someone—since a text often runs the risk of causing misunderstandings—they are not viewed as faux pas anymore. So unless it is an important call, you can always respond with a text.

Time to pick modern etiquette rules and discard the obsolete ones.