I found that when I lived in Sicily the people were very, very polite and from what I observed a much more socially conformist culture. Not in a bad way, but the culture was more homogenous, and unlike Northern Italy, most people in the town where I lived were Sicilian born and raised. Of course there was the usual hustle bustle yelling at the public markets, line cutting... The concept of polite behavior is so culturally rooted, that what I perceived as impolite was not always based on bad intentions (like funny looks when I went out for a cocktail with my son) but just a cultural clash of sorts. In Trieste or Rome no one looks at you twice as a woman alone with a child having aperitivo, but at the same time I was bothered by the physical pushing on the streets- and don't let me even go to the Roman street experience- but I miss the street confusion, the yelling, the passion for life- so I guess my point is that you are free to chose your experience and the way you perceive polite/impolite behavior and remember that you can of course be annoyed at times (just like I get annoyed here in Ca.), but being a stickler and being constantly judgmental will just make your life miserable wherever you live!

I noticed that more than one post had some things to say about the behaviour of the elderly, and if I may, I'd like to put in a word in defense of these citizens.

Probably the saddest fact is: when they are not an obstacle and source of irritation, they are usually invisible. This can't be amusing for someone who, at the very least, has managed to stay alive for quite a long time. But even worse, their mental and physical frailty makes them the targets of scammers and muggers: not a prospect to bring a smile to anyone's face.

The end result is they are ignored, pushed ahead of, yelled at for being slow, if not actually ripped off, every time they step outside the safety of their home. I think I'd be a wee bit curmudgeonly if that was what awaited me every day. Their payback is to be difficult: if nothing else they aren't treated as if they weren't there at all!

So the next time one of the elderly gets in your way, remember that if all goes according to plan, you too will be in that same spot someday, and you might spare a thought to the difficulties they encounter instead of your own pressing needs.

That's all. End of soapbox!

You all know(?) that I'm getting on in years, and am - to some extent - fixed in my ways. But I, like many others of my generation really do appreciate a little bit of respect, and if 'tinged' with a bit of patience too it does make life so much more pleasant.

I belong to the 'Old Folks Circle' in my village, and because we pretty well all ascribe to these ways we do get on really well togehter. But we are also shown these behaviours by other generations in the village.

Only last month the ladies of the group celebrated 'Il Giorno della donna' by all going out to supper - here we are (mimosa and all) looking - as you can see as if "butter wouldn't melt...".


But joking apart - if we weren't polite people would we get on so well? I doubt it!

Oh and just as an aside - but still 'ON' topic, I'm mystified as to the fate of my 'joke' post which 'quoted' Chia's tongue in cheek one about 'the last word! I know it WAS there but now it's not. Perhaps as we're talking about 'politeness' it would have been nice to be told why it was deleted!

Sorry Carole, I was able to write to 3 people and then my internet died and I am just getting back on. I know it was all tongue and cheek but I figured since I wrote what I wrote yesterday, that I would delete, I couldn't do just certain people and not others - and I guess I should probably delete myself since I am off topic - but now posting here hopefully the others will now know why too (I even deleted a mod's post!)

Ta Cristina! Your answer makes sense.... but it (the tongue in cheek) was worth a try

I guess I deserved the chop...

Cristina, in an earlier post on this thread, you referred to true Italians. In your opinion, who are true Italians?

quote:

Originally posted by alpino71:
Cristina, in an earlier post on this thread, you referred to true Italians. In your opinion, who are true Italians?

***Italians born and bred in Italy ("Italians Who Want to Practice Their English" ), not Italian-Americans.
Now, that has nothing to do with politeness so stop the off-topic discussion right now or I'll close this thread.

***In this context

Are we allowed to bite our tongues?

Here's how this works: One of us - Cristina or a moderator - says "Stop this discussion". That means stop. No further comments at all.

I am closing this thread now to prevent it from spinning completely out of control during the European night, and in the morning Cristina can decide whether or not she wants to reopen it.