Quote Originally Posted by M. A. C. Newsome View Post
See the difference?
I think everyone sees the difference...in the first scenario you have two rude and belligerent individuals going head to head.

In the second, two mannered people exchanging information.

Personally, what I see...the lesson I draw from those examples...is that we tend to judge and label people, not only quickly and spuriously, but according to the way we view the results.

For instance, I don't think it is unreasonable to postulate a simple switching of roles in the above scenarios. And perhaps then, a review of the results:

What if it is Lord Lyon in the first scenario? Perhaps objecting to a chicken sporran. And he runs up against a intractable individual who takes offense at any advice--even gentle advice given discreetly and soto voce--and a rude exchange follows.

How then do we judge Lord Lyon? By the resulting brouhaha? By the almost certain characterization of him as aggressive, discourteous, and "kilt police" by the disgruntled chicken lover?

Every human interaction takes two.

Or suppose the reputed kilt policeman confronted an easy going kilt wearer...such as Matt Newsome...and the resulting conversation was brief, or even ended cordially simply because of the courteous way our fearless hero handled it.

Is the putative "kilt policeman" suddenly a "gentleman?" Maybe he was all along.

There is no one of us who cannot, by exercising some intelligence and generosity, turn aside even the most discourteous and socially awkward individuals and make pleasant conversation instead of bridling and casting pejoratives about like pennies to beggars.

Frankly, those who indulge in such invective and name calling demonstrate a lack of gentlemanly behavior that far overshadows any rude remark made by other people.

If nothing else the tale that is told about us is far more disturbing when we descend to the level of those we so obviously despise.