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About This Quiz
We can all agree that good manners are a important. They grease the wheels of society and make sure that people feel appreciated instead of steamrolled when they go out of their way to do things for others. They signify that you care about people, and those of us who are not so socially adept to fit in at events where we might otherwise be intimidated or say the wrong thing.
However, while we might agree on the principle, we don't agree on the form. In some places, sending a thank you note after an interview is mandatory, while in others, it is a sign of desperation and lack of respect for the interviewee's time. In some places, you put your knife and fork together in the center of your plate to signify that you are done, while in others you cross them on your plate. In some places, walking slowly on the sidewalk is the height of bad manners, but canceling on a party at late notice is not a big deal, whereas other places have those rules the other way around.
It's all about the culture you grew up in and what you absorbed from it. Tell us your idea of great manners, and we'll identify your home area down to the region and maybe even the town!
Do you own personalized stationery?
Yes, but only at work.
Of course
No
I don't believe in stationery.
Do you check with guests before a dinner party, in case of allergies and food preferences?
I try to.
Absolutely!
No, I don't think those are real things.
I don't do dinner parties.
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A much richer friend wants to spoil you by inviting you to their country house for the weekend. What do you owe them in return?
A nice dinner.
Dinner out, plus a show.
A nice letter.
Nothing. That's their choice.
Do you know all the proper forms of address?
I think so
Of course
I just call everyone "sir" and "ma'am."
I think that's a silly ritual and I don't do it.
Is it rude to have your phone out at dinner?
It's OK to check it but taking or making a call is bad.
Yes, it's very rude.
It's quite rude.
Of course not, it's rude to make someone do anything with their phone that they don't want.
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How do you handle slow walkers on the sidewalk?
Shove by them.
Speedwalk around them.
Say, "Excuse me" increasingly loudly.
I am one so I don't mind.
Is it ever good manners to tell someone to just shut up?
If they're being offensive.
No
If they are about to say something they will regret, then yes.
Sometimes it is the only option.
If someone comes back from the restroom with their skirt tucked into their underwear, do you tell them?
Yes. Solidarity always!
No, that would embarrass them. They might go the whole night not noticing and then they don't have to feel bad.
Yes, it's the kind thing to do.
No. They might have meant to do that.
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You see your host has left some medication on the table. What do you do?
Ask them what is wrong with them and whether they'd like to speak to my friend Jane who has the same thing.
Ignore it, no matter what.
Tactfully drop something over it.
Google it, then loudly tell the room what it is for.
Would you ever fail to RSVP to an invitation?
I'm busy, so it happens.
No, that is verboten!
I might forget.
I don't do RSVPs. I cannot be chained like that.
Do you do a table plan before a dinner?
Generally not
Of course, otherwise people don't meet each other.
Only if it is a formal event.
No, that's bullying
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If you offer someone wine and they say no, should you offer again that evening?
Yes, if I have another wine to offer.
Yes, they might have said no to be polite.
Yes, they might change their mind.
No, I just assume they are in AA.
A work friend asks for a reference but you're very busy. What do you do?
Tell them to write one and I will sign it.
Make time.
Tell them to give my name.
Say no.
You go to a friend's show and it's just ... bad. What do you say afterwards?
"You did it!"
"Bless your heart!"
"Wow, buddy. Just, wow."
"That was crap."
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If you're at a dinner party, who do you talk to first?
Whoever looks most useful.
Whoever is on my left.
Whoever I like the look of.
Whoever has a warm spirit.
You're going to a wedding. What will you definitely NOT wear?
Anything white
I won't wear anything short.
I won't wear my gun.
I will wear whatever I want.
You fall asleep at a friend's house. Have you been rude?
I don't think so.
Not if I warned them it might happen and asked where I could lie down.
Kinda, yeah.
If their house is safe for me, then I have paid them a great compliment.
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You're on a bad date. How soon is it OK to make up an excuse and leave?
20 minutes. Life is too short.
You have to stay through dinner.
An hour.
I just leave.
You are on a plane and someone behind you keeps kicking the back of your seat. What do you do?
Recline it.
Pray for them.
Ask them nicely to stop.
Spill a drink on them.
A little kid is running amok in a restaurant. What's the best thing to do?
Ignore it
Judge their mother but say nothing.
Entertain it
Lie on the floor to understand their perspective.
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Someone leaves a voicemail for you. What is the longest time you'd wait before calling them back?
A day
Two days
Depends how urgent it is
Whatever my schedule permits
If you are invited to dinner, what do you bring?
Whatever they want me to bring.
Peach cobbler that I made.
Six-pack
Nothing
You said you'd go to a party but you're exhausted. What do you do?
Text the host.
I go anyway. They put in a lot of effort.
I go anyway but warn them I'm tired and might duck out soon after dinner.
Just don't go.
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Someone at your place of worship is the worst person in the world. How do you convey that you cannot stand them?
I enlist other people to shun them with me.
I pray for them and act extra polite to them.
I just ignore them.
I stop going.
You work from home and hear your neighbor's dog alone in their house, sounding upset. What should you do?
Ask the super to look into it.
Call my neighbor to see if they want me to do anything.
Use my key that they gave me, and bring the dog to my house for the day.
Call animal control.
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You find out someone at work has been talking about you behind your back. What do you do?
Bully them into leaving.
Quietly destroy their life while smiling to their face.
Tell them to stop.
Talk smack about them behind their back. How do they like it?
At the company softball game, Joe the Slow wants to play. How do you make sure he's not on your team?
I make sure I'm a captain, then don't pick him.
I make myself valuable to the captains so I am picked first. That way, if he's on my team, at least it is not my fault.
I don't care who wins because it's a stupid game so I just invite him to play on my team. What's the harm?
I don't mind whether he is or not.
If you had a lot more money than a friend, what step might you take to make sure they didn't feel uncomfortable when you hang out?
Take them out but say, "Tonight you are my guest" so they know it's on me.
Invite them over so they don't know how much it cost.
I don't think they'd care, honestly.
Offer them some money. Building community care is part of my standard practice in life.
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