Some people are so good at it and some are just outright illiterate when it comes to basic etiquette one should follow in a social gathering.. or even in day to day life. It irks me to no end.
For example.. three people are sitting and talking in a very public place, a fourth person is walking towards them and notices the people sitting whisper something to each other and then give the approaching person an awkward forced smile. What’s up with people doing that?
Or people talking loudly on the phone when sitting in a gathering. Not excusing themselves to go take the call.
Having the money talk when no one’s interested. Discussing possessions and price of stuff you have or are wearing.
Pointing fingers at people. Literally.
I can go on and on. The thing is how do you make people realize they are being rude and showing lack of basic manners. Do people like these deserve an earful or should we just ignore? What would you do?
I was venting to a friend about one such relative and she kept laughing because I was fuming! Then she said look, these people aren’t worth it. If I was you, I’d just get some entertainment out of pulling their leg. If the aunty is boasting about her wealth, give her a taste of her own medicine and start bragging about how you bought that chappal of yours from Paris for 1000 euros because you couldn’t find it in Milan, London and New York.
I haven’t followed this advice of hers thus far. If someone’s just being annoying, I can put up with them for a couple of hours, unless we meet regularly in which case I would politely tell them what I find unpleasant. For example, I was travelling to Pakistan with some family friends once and the woman kept making fun of every passerby. She’d nudge me and say “Huma, wo dekho, usne kya pehna hua hai” and it would take me like a minute just to find the person she was talking about! So I told her baji please bus karein, mein nahin notice karti aisi baatein. There was no need to give her an earful then. But at my sister’s wedding, this couple crossed the line and instead of stooping to their level and giving them a taste of their own medicine, we just cut all contact with them. No need to put up with such people whether they’re friends or family. Our parents may think otherwise, my mother can put up with a LOT of crap just for the sake of saving family relations but our generation is not as tolerant or patient. I was called rude by the same morons because I didn’t fake any sincerity with them after their little stunt but do I care? Nope. Bhar che jao.
I’ve always wondered how these rude people would feel if someone else did the same to them…
I usually just ignore them and let them go about their ways, reminding myself they probably don’t know better, until I can’t handle it anymore. Then, I’ll just avoid the person all together, or as much as possible.
I disagree. Saying hello to someone approaching towards you or not pointing fingers in public or being respectful are pretty basic things. And should be this way for everyone. If they’re not, then they lack manners.
Yeah the what would happen if we do it to them question teases me to. How would they feel?
I start off by treating others the way I’d like to be treated.
But if I don’t get treated the way I am treating them, I wash my hands of such dirt. If I have to interact with them at a social gathering, I refuse to acknowledge their existence and ignore them. A piece of furniture gets more attention.
Then she said look, these people aren’t worth it. If I was you, I’d just get some entertainment out of pulling their leg. If the aunty is boasting about her wealth, give her a taste of her own medicine and start bragging about how you bought that chappal of yours from Paris for 1000 euros because you couldn’t find it in Milan, London and New York. 
So I told her baji please bus karein, mein nahin notice karti aisi baatein. There was no need to give her an earful then. But at my sister’s wedding, this couple crossed the line and instead of stooping to their level and giving them a taste of their own medicine, we just cut all contact with them. No need to put up with such people whether they’re friends or family. Our parents may think otherwise, my mother can put up with a LOT of crap just for the sake of saving family relations but our generation is not as tolerant or patient. I was called rude by the same morons because I didn’t fake any sincerity with them after their little stunt but do I care? Nope. Bhar che jao.
