The article presents two scenarios involving etiquette and personal relationships within professional and family contexts. The first scenario discusses a newly retired colleague who had been problematic, leading a division chair to skip a farewell gathering, despite being criticized for their absence. Miss Manners reflects on the nuances of passive-aggressive behavior and moral obligations in social situations. The second scenario examines a family member's refusal to acknowledge the identities of married women who chose to keep their maiden names, posing a challenge of respect and tradition. Both situations highlight complexities in balancing personal feelings with social expectations.
I vowed long ago as division chair to never attend a gathering for this individual, so I skipped it. I was confronted and scolded regarding my absence.
Miss Manners has never entirely understood the term passive-aggressive. Would an example be putting up with bad behavior from a colleague for years without resolving it?
Would have been the harm in showing up for a colleague you did not care for but will not have to see again afterwards? Instead of being the better person, we can call it being the bigger person.
My family member knew that both my daughter and my daughter-in-law had opted to keep their maiden names when they married, yet insisted on addressing the cards as Mr. and Mrs. John Doe.
#workplace-etiquette #passive-aggressive-behavior #professional-relationships #family-dynamics #personal-identity
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