Manners/Social Conventions You Don't Follow

[wontondestruction]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

The habit of taking shoes off in Japan came from the fact they traditionally sat on the floor, slept on pallets on the floor, and ate at tables a few inches off the floor.

Meanwhile there are wide swathes of the world (including half of the U.S. and much of Europe), where those who habitually remove shoes will be regarded with incredulity. It's not simply that they don't take their shoes off in these places, but they don't understand why anyone would, and regard it as bizarre. The first time it happened to me (in Scotland 20 years ago) went like this:

[I start taking my shoes off at door.]
Host: What are you doing?
Me: Taking my shoes off.
Host: WHY?!
Me: Uh, it's polite?
Host: [Laughs and shakes head.] No. Keep them on.
Host [Later to wife]: He was taking his shoes off!
Wife: WHY?!

And this was an affluent family in a nice, new house full of nice things. They regarded me taking my shoes off as weird and unexpected as if I'd taken my shirt off.

Just so I have this straight. You're out all day. Walking on dusty sidewalks. Going into public restrooms, where there's some urine splatter on the floor. Walking in parks, where there's god knows what in the grass. Then you go home and don't take off your shoes? Sorry, but that's filthy.

[The Fonz]

Can't believe people have been discussing their stance on bicycle helmets for 5+ pages. Who gives a rat's ass.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

The habit of taking shoes off in Japan came from the fact they traditionally sat on the floor, slept on pallets on the floor, and ate at tables a few inches off the floor.

Meanwhile there are wide swathes of the world (including half of the U.S. and much of Europe), where those who habitually remove shoes will be regarded with incredulity. It's not simply that they don't take their shoes off in these places, but they don't understand why anyone would, and regard it as bizarre. The first time it happened to me (in Scotland 20 years ago) went like this:

[I start taking my shoes off at door.]
Host: What are you doing?
Me: Taking my shoes off.
Host: WHY?!
Me: Uh, it's polite?
Host: [Laughs and shakes head.] No. Keep them on.
Host [Later to wife]: He was taking his shoes off!
Wife: WHY?!

And this was an affluent family in a nice, new house full of nice things. They regarded me taking my shoes off as weird and unexpected as if I'd taken my shirt off.

How odd. In all my travels around Great Britain I have never been made fun of for taking my shoes off and the locals have all taken their shoes off. Now, maybe it is because I have only been to Wales and England, or maybe it is because the Scots are dirty savages that live in stone huts with dirt floors.

I can’t understand why people would walk around their house (on carpet or hardwood) in shoes that have been strolling around outside. Outside there is poo, pee, spit, oil, fuel, gum not to mention for 7 months of the year our roads and streets are covered in snow/ice/slush and salt. Yuck.

I get that in warmer climates than ours it is not abnormal to wear shoes indoors. When I went to visit a buddy in South Africa we wore out shoes indoors. His house is an open concept with tile floors, easy to sweep/hard on the back.

If you suffer from plantar fasciitis, do what my mother in law does/did bring a pair of indoor shoes. She swears Birkenstocks are the best to wear for PF, but I don’t condone Birkenstocks.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

How odd. In all my travels around Great Britain I have never been made fun of for taking my shoes off and the locals have all taken their shoes off. Now, maybe it is because I have only been to Wales and England, or maybe it is because the Scots are dirty savages that live in stone huts with dirt floors.

Maybe it's generational? Or regional? It certainly doesn't appear to be a standard convention across the UK:

Taking shoes off when entering a home - necessary or naff?

Why do Brits wear their shoes indoors?

In a lot of places, the custom is for people to take their shoes off in their own home, but it's considered rude to ask a guest to take their shoes off.

In what Western countries are guests expected to take their shoes off when visiting someone's home?

Threads like the above are quite an eye-opener. A lot of people say they would only take their shoes off in someone else's house if the floor was absolutely spotless - in other words, it's regarded as impolite to make a guest do something unhygienic and gross like walk around your house in their stocking or bare feet.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

Maybe it's generational? Or regional? It certainly doesn't appear to be a standard convention across the UK:

Taking shoes off when entering a home - necessary or naff?

Why do Brits wear their shoes indoors?

In a lot of places, the custom is for people to take their shoes off in their own home, but it's considered rude to ask a guest to take their shoes off.

In what Western countries are guests expected to take their shoes off when visiting someone's home?

Threads like the above are quite an eye-opener. A lot of people say they would only take their shoes off in someone else's house if the floor was absolutely spotless - in other words, it's regarded as impolite to make a guest do something unhygienic and gross like walk around your house in their stocking or bare feet.

hmm, interesting sources, a message board and them an online magazine with an article written by, actually I am not sure who it is written by.

I do not that the comments on the bottom are interesting:

Sheila Windsor · Top commenter · Artist and Poet at Poet
Almost everyone who comes to our house removes their shoes. We don't wear outdoor shoes indoors. We have carpets and don't want them turned into filthy old rags.
Reply · · 11 September 2014 at 10:16
nnn39stray (signed in using AOL)
I live in the UK and just about everyone I know takes off their shoes at the door.We wear slippers in the house and we also ask our guests to remove their shoes.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

hmm, interesting sources, a message board and them an online magazine with an article written by, actually I am not sure who it is written by.

I do not that the comments on the bottom are interesting:

And there are comments on the same forums where people say nobody in UK or Ireland take off their shoes. So it's safe to say some people do, and some don't, and there seems to be homogeneous patchworks by region/class/age.

What's remarkable about the articles and forum discussions on this subject is how both sides are astonished that the other side exists. For example, some people on forums have asked if hosts really ask guests at a party to take their shoes off. So a Canadian will post a picture of a bunch of shoes piled at a door, and people who have never seen such a thing find it absolutely hilarious.

Also, in some countries where people are expected to take their shoes off at the door, the host is expected to provide slippers for guests. I haven't come across that custom in Canada.

Social taboos are funny.

[Igster]

Originally Posted by The Fonz

Can't believe people have been discussing their stance on bicycle helmets for 5+ pages. Who gives a rat's ass.

People who posted on the last 5 pages?

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

And there are comments on the same forums where people say nobody in UK or Ireland take off their shoes. So it's safe to say some people do, and some don't, and there seems to be homogeneous patchworks by region/class/age.

What's remarkable about the articles and forum discussions on this subject is how both sides are astonished that the other side exists. For example, some people on forums have asked if hosts really ask guests at a party to take their shoes off. So a Canadian will post a picture of a bunch of shoes piled at a door, and people who have never seen such a thing find it absolutely hilarious.

Also, in some countries where people are expected to take their shoes off at the door, the host is expected to provide slippers for guests. I haven't come across that custom in Canada.

Social taboos are funny.

and we agree on something.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by Igster

People who posted on the last 5 pages?

People who didn't understand it was a discussion about bicycle helmets and not motorcycle helmets.

[Igster]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

People who didn't understand it was a discussion about bicycle helmets and not motorcycle helmets.

Yup, those people too.

[keratosis]

Nobody better walk on my hardwood floors with shoes on.

[OutOfTheCube]

I don't shower before I go into the swimming pool.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by TSXCman

Wait... is this the RGMG thread?

I don't like when people say "cheers" like it's shalom. Hi, bye, please, thanks, and you're welcome are NOT the same as "cheers".

So...the English? Its okay, you dont have to be embarrassed about hating the English.

Theres a support group for that, its called Scotland.

[CaptainYooh]

Originally Posted by The Fonz

Can't believe people have been discussing their stance on bicycle helmets for 5+ pages. Who gives a rat's ass.

Yeah, pretty boring. Those guys have brutally murdered what Sliver had started. But at least, it's not the repulsive stuff, like three pages about leaving your floaters in the toilet...

[Knalus]

Not to resurrect something from 6 pages back, but whenever someone doesn't want to toast a drink, I immediately assume they are Jehovah's Witnesses. It's one of the many specific things they also won't do.

[Johnny199r]

Originally Posted by Knalus

Not to resurrect something from 6 pages back, but whenever someone doesn't want to toast a drink, I immediately assume they are Jehovah's Witnesses. It's one of the many specific things they also won't do.

It was me. I'm not a Jehovah's Witness, or religious at all.

[jeffporfirio]

Originally Posted by Johnny199r

It was me. I'm not a Jehovah's Witness, or religious at all.

It was also me.
Not a JW.
I believe they also don't drink any alcohol or coffee, or celebrate birthdays, which would mean they also don't sing Happy Birthday.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Johnny199r

It was me. I'm not a Jehovah's Witness, or religious at all.

What makes it such a despicable practice in your eyes?

[Muffins]

Originally Posted by jeffporfirio

It was also me.
Not a JW.
I believe they also don't drink any alcohol or coffee, or celebrate birthdays, which would mean they also don't sing Happy Birthday.

No alcohol and caffeine is more of a Mormon thing.

[Igster]

Originally Posted by Muffins

No alcohol and caffeine is more of a Mormon thing.

I gave up caffeine about 3 weeks ago. Does that mean I'm part Mormon?