To Be Well-Mannered and Well-Educated: An Important Way to Build a Peaceful and Harmonious Society
On June 25, 2020, Republic Act 11476, otherwise known as the Good Manners and Right Conduct (GMRC) and Values Education Act, was signed into law by former President Rodrigo Duterte. Through this act, schools were mandated to teach GMRC and Values Education subjects from kindergarten to senior high school. This would have been a good move for establishing proper character development and values formation in society if only everyone had seriously learned and applied the related lessons that were being taught.
Related to good manners and right conduct, on May 6, 2022, a social media influencer named Shaira May Soron once posted that "well mannered is better than educated" in support of current President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. during the 2022 election period. Apparently, her post had played a role in framing the Marcos supporters' narrative that the toxic behavior of Leni Robredo's followers was what contributed to her loss.
Assuming that everyone knows the Golden Rule of "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you," it can be agreed upon that, in some cases, one's ill-mannered use of his educational attainment in life or expertise in a particular field in order to put others down and make them obedient for no good reason at all can quash the respect people have towards him and make them antagonize him. However, it can also be argued that even good manners and right conduct cannot stand by themselves if one cannot learn how, when, and where to use them. These can only be learned through quality education either by value forming institutions such as school, religion, and family or even by himself, if he is a morally upright and religious person who is willing to devote his time and effort to upholding the common good of society.
To break it down even further, good manners and right conduct are needed to ensure that everyone is on an equal footing in any interaction and respect is properly conveyed between anyone regardless of the presence of communication barriers. These barriers could be differences in age, race, sex, financial status, and educational attainment. Quality education is also needed as it helps people gain a broader understanding of how the world works and why people have different viewpoints on various issues.
Together, good manners, right conduct, and quality education help bridge gaps between age, hierarchical status, and gender-diversified people. It is only by combining steadfast courteousness, social graces, and consistent use of learning that people can systematically deliberate on the best possible ways to resolve various issues and hence, preserve the much-needed peace and harmony in today's society.
Illustrated by Ryan
Like Breeds Like: How Rude Manners Sabotage Oneself and Society
In today's society, it can be agreed upon that everyone has had his fair share in receiving some form of rudeness from people who are both known and unknown to him. Rude manners – namely, speaking without any "po" or "opo" to someone more than half to twice one's age; keeping mum and not saying "thank you" after receiving an answer to a query or after obtaining a favor; not saying "sorry" after a shortcoming, negligence, or even failure committed; and not asking for permission before using or doing something — accounts for most of the common unappealing behaviors that people of all ages have done at least once in their lifetime.
Some people believe that displaying their rude manners helps them be regarded more as an authentic or true person, rather than be pilloried as a "plastic" person whose personality is fake and is quite often, a backstabber. While the majority agree that it is much better to be true to yourself, it can be argued that being authentic does not necessitate showing off nonchalantly your weaknesses and flaws alone. Being authentic likewise encompasses manifesting our strengths, our values, and even our constant pursuit to be the most morally upright members of society. Therefore, carefreely flaunting rude manners towards others only promotes further animosity, which is detrimental towards everyone's collective goals of being the best of himself and upholding values, peace, and harmony in society.
Meanwhile, those same distorted-minded pro-rudeness people also believe that displaying good manners and right conduct is a sign of weakness. For them, exhibiting good manners and right conduct is viewed as derogating themselves as underdogs in front of people who may be superior to them. However, in reference to what has already been established earlier, displaying rude manners in relation to authenticity has been shown to be more of a sign of weakness than its opposite. In fact, displaying rude manners is indicative of one's inability to control his own emotions (including arrogance) and the situation unfolding around him. This makes displaying good manners and right conduct the more preferable choice when it comes to establishing credibility and earning respect from all parties present.
Considering these facts, there have only been very few people who practice good manners and right conduct as of late. Perhaps, it may not be that much of a stretch to say that if only everyone seriously and religiously practiced good manners and right conduct, then everyone would be one step further in solving many issues, from simple disagreements/misunderstandings between parents and children to even political polarization among voters during the elections.
Of course, practicing good manners and right conduct is not just simply being polite and humble when conversing with others. It is also the act of upholding the very foundations that make our society a moral and ethical one and the act of making those who unjustly tear down these foundations accountable. In light of this, it is imperative that even if no one else takes the responsibility of sustaining our values, we, ourselves must take it and become the role model others need to emulate, as every little action we do eventually has a profound impact on our society. One cannot be well-mannered without being well-educated in good manners and right conduct, and one cannot be well-educated in good manners and right conduct without being well-mannered. Rather, it is in the composite action of combining these two qualities that the best of humanity is preserved so that our society does not further degrade itself into a purely dog-eat-dog world.
Such a good read!