Miss Manners Rescues Civilization: From Sexual Harasssment, Frivolous Lawsuits, Dissings and Other Lapses in Civility - Hardcover

Martin, Judith

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0517701642 ISBN 13: 9780517701645

Publisher: Random House Value Publications, 1996

Synopsis

With the entire nation screaming for a return to civility, Miss Manners, the highest authority, takes matters into her own properly gloved hands and puts etiquette where it belongs - on the public agenda. Miss Manners Rescues Civilization is a wise, witty and startling examination of how the breakdown of etiquette is contributing to the disintegration of our society.
Even the government finds itself battered by our national epidemic of rudeness, yet the very politicians who cry loudest for civility fail to understand the roots of the problem. Using a combination of essays and answers to her Gentle Readers' questions, Miss Manners examines society's ever-rising level of irritation, from the classroom to the caucus room. She shows the crucial role of etiquette in such contemporary issues as political correctness, multiculturalism, sexual harassment, educational failure and freedom of speech.
Miss Manners leads the charge toward a livable future rather than a return to the etiquette of past eras. But calling for civility without etiquette is like asking for morality without law, she says. Idealists who mistakenly reject etiquette as snobbish, repressive and dishonest fail to understand that manners form the philosophical basis for civilized life. As society's common language of behavior, manners have always functioned as the modest partner of morality to protect the dignity of everyone, especially society's less powerful members.

About this title

About the Author

Born a perfect lady in an imperfect society, Miss Manners considers it her duty and privilege to lead the way to a more civilized and possibly even pleasant society.

In her Miss Manners column, distributed by newspapers nationwide by United Features Syndicate since 1978, Judith Martin answers questions on etiquette three times a week. As readers accept her view of life as a comedy of manners, they have increasingly sent her not only their table and party questions, but those involving the more complicated aspects of life romance, work, family relationships, and child-rearing.

In contrast to Miss Manners, but with her indulgence, Mrs. Martin is also a novelist, journalist, lecturer and frequent guest on national television and radio shows. She recently presided over her own PBS television special, "

From the Back Cover

American history that has shown a heightened sensitivity toward the ideals of democracy, self-expression, freedom, and individual rights, we are paradoxically experiencing a breakdown in our nation's ability to function as a civil people.

From athletes who shout obscenities on national television to surgeons who blast their favorite music while operating, from gang members who kill those who've "dissed" them to mourners who treat funerals casually, we trample over the rights of others in a savage pursuit of individual agendas. We have cashed in etiquette (yes, the "E word") for a generous helping of self-importance, and the exchange is crippling our ability to function as a civil society.

In her ground-breaking new book,MISS MANNERS RESCUES CIVILIZATION: From Sexual Harassment, Frivolous Lawsuits, Dissing and Other Lapses in Civility, Judith Martin puts etiquette on the public agenda in response to our nation's cry for a return to civility.

From the Inside Flap

American history that has shown a heightened sensitivity toward the ideals of democracy, self-expression, freedom, and individual rights, we are paradoxically experiencing a breakdown in our nation's ability to function as a civil people. <br><br>From athletes who shout obscenities on national television to surgeons who blast their favorite music while operating, from gang members who kill those who've "dissed" them to mourners who treat funerals casually, we trample over the rights of others in a savage pursuit of individual agendas. We have cashed in etiquette (yes, the "E word") for a generous helping of self-importance, and the exchange is crippling our ability to function as a civil society. <br><br>In her ground-breaking new book,<b>MISS MANNERS RESCUES CIVILIZATION: From Sexual Harassment, Frivolous Lawsuits, Dissing and Other Lapses in Civility</b>, Judith Martin puts etiquette on the public agenda in response to our nation's cry for a return to civility.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

"Watch out. Miss Manners is now going to argue that manners, far from being a weak and optional virtue, much less a nuisance in the way of morality, is the oldest social virtue and an indispensable partner of morality. Rather than being an optional luxury, a sort of hobby virtue, this is a key virtue one that can hold its own with the biggies and civilization's first necessity."

Edition details

• Publisher: Random House Value Publications
• Publication date: 1996
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0517701642
• ISBN 13: 9780517701645
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 544