‘Ain’t nobody got time for dat.’
Or so echoed Sweet Brown, an American who was interviewed as a result of her building complex being set ablaze. The YouTube sensation has garnered much attention. Mention the phrase and most Internet saavy Americans know exactly where it is from. We laugh at the informality of it all.
Or do we secretly desire a world in which people present themselves in a more proper manner?
Enter the British series Downton Abbey. The international hit has struck a chord with its audiences. The series explores the world of 19th – 20th Century British nobility which tries to stay relevant as times are challenged traditional norms of accepted behavior.
In the States, Americans seem to enjoy the fascinating study of the class norms. From the Dowager Countess to the house cook Mrs. Patmore, the show explores issues of social class and proper behavior itself in a humorous way. Maggie Smith, actress who portrays the Dowager Countess Violet Crawley, has so many zingers, many of which are directed at issues of proper behavior. In admonishing her granddaughter, the acrid tongued character remarks: “Vulgarity is no substitute for wit.” If only many others today would realize that.
Is the popularity of the series revealing a desire for the class of the past? Are we tired of the informality of modern society? The extreme lack of etiquette? Are we digitizing so much as to dehumanize ourselves and our interactions with our fellow human beings?
I do fear so. I long for an age of respect, of a little more care for others, and yes, for a little class. But I doubt it shall return. Ah, but as the Dowager would say: “Don't be defeatist dear, it's terribly middle class.”
Or so echoed Sweet Brown, an American who was interviewed as a result of her building complex being set ablaze. The YouTube sensation has garnered much attention. Mention the phrase and most Internet saavy Americans know exactly where it is from. We laugh at the informality of it all.
Or do we secretly desire a world in which people present themselves in a more proper manner?
Enter the British series Downton Abbey. The international hit has struck a chord with its audiences. The series explores the world of 19th – 20th Century British nobility which tries to stay relevant as times are challenged traditional norms of accepted behavior.
In the States, Americans seem to enjoy the fascinating study of the class norms. From the Dowager Countess to the house cook Mrs. Patmore, the show explores issues of social class and proper behavior itself in a humorous way. Maggie Smith, actress who portrays the Dowager Countess Violet Crawley, has so many zingers, many of which are directed at issues of proper behavior. In admonishing her granddaughter, the acrid tongued character remarks: “Vulgarity is no substitute for wit.” If only many others today would realize that.
Is the popularity of the series revealing a desire for the class of the past? Are we tired of the informality of modern society? The extreme lack of etiquette? Are we digitizing so much as to dehumanize ourselves and our interactions with our fellow human beings?
I do fear so. I long for an age of respect, of a little more care for others, and yes, for a little class. But I doubt it shall return. Ah, but as the Dowager would say: “Don't be defeatist dear, it's terribly middle class.”
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