A few semesters back, during a Research Method class, our lecturer had pointed a very curious question. She was asking us how do we define ‘politeness’. The moment she asks us that, I immediately thought of the things you do that shows you’re polite like helping other people and stuff. Well, yes but also much much more.
Then she said, if politeness were to be defined that way, then how do we explain the things we do when it involves strangers of the opposite sex?
Well, take example situation A vs. situation B:
Situation A: A guy was asked “how do I get there” by his friend. Then he replied, “How come you don’t know? you know you’re suppose to bla…bla…(other stuff)
Situation B: The same guy was asked the same question but this time from a pretty girl who’s a stranger to him. He replied: Oh, it’s easy, let me show you”
So, how do we understand the term politeness this way when we only become polite because of the person we're helping but not because it’s the right thing to do?
------>> I’m still figuring it out. Lol.
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