This quote by Fred Astair literally took the breath out of me. I almost felt sick there for a couple of seconds. Simply because it is scaringly true. It was actually a dear Internet friend, @jennalee, who got me started thinking about bad manners and ill behaviour this very night, but the subject has been dwelling inside of me for quite a while now. I have said a couple of times that I have stopped reading comments on blogs, newspapers etc. since all they do is making me upset. It is simply due to the fact that many people seem to forget about behaving and showing good manners just because they are on the Internet, hiding behind computer screens and keyboards. The Internet is not something vague, something reserved solely for marketers and geeks - it is a great part of most us' daily life. In fact, the Internet is becoming more or less an alternative place to spend our lives, manners included. I am a human being despite sitting behind a computer screen and I have the same feelings as I would have if you are to meet me downtown. You wouldn't walk up to me and tell me to eff off I you would think I am ugly, fat, wrong about something - would you?

The above quote is true in a sinister way and we should all take some time to think about what it means. Being a teacher my job is about teaching kids and I have all kinds of tools in order to do that. Books, computers, papers, tests etc. What this quote says is that I, my colleagues, adults and the rest of the world fail on one major important lesson for our children - namely to teach them good manners. Why? Because we have all forgotten about it and we lack good manners ourselves! If Mr Astaire is true, this means that our children today behave the way we adults behave and each time we complain on our little ones, the complaint is immediately reflected back to ourselves. And I believe Mr Astaire is true. 

Children learn by imitating. If they bully each other it is because they see adults doing the same. Remove the word bully and put in whatever negative verb you know, and it is still true. We tend to forget about this. Good manners is perhaps the most important lesson we can teach our young ones. Good manners is perhaps the most important qualification you can have. It doesn't matter if you are a math genius - without good manners no ones wants to work with you anyway.