Stuff You Missed in History Class

Six Impossible Episodes: Etiquette Manuals

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Mar 20, 2024
Explore the ideal standards of etiquette from historical manuals, societal shifts, racial nuances, and etiquette evolution. Learn about figures like Emily Post, manners vs. etiquette, and the impact of women in the world of etiquette literature.
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ADVICE

Match The Company's Tone To Please People

  • To please others, mirror the tone and attention of the company.
  • Chesterfield advises: observe what pleases you and reciprocate, and adapt your seriousness or gaiety to the majority's mood.
ANECDOTE

Daisy Eyebright Married Etiquette To Morality

  • Daisy Eyebright framed good manners as a moral duty tied to Christianity.
  • Her 1868 Manual of Etiquette links politeness to reducing social friction and cites St. James and Chesterfield as moral touchstones.
INSIGHT

Etiquette Reinforces Social Exclusion

  • Etiquette norms often assume a white, middle/upper-class default and can marginalize others.
  • Eyebright's post-Civil War manual rarely mentions race yet implicitly centers white Christian Americans as the norm.
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