F is for Formality

'How do you do today, sir?' was once the stock standard greeting. Polite, formal, it reeked of everything proper. It wouldn't do to simply say 'hey, how's it going?' - the looks of horror alone would be a serious deterrent. Society however, has progressed to the point of informality whereby a simple 'hey' is most definitely acceptable. We walk around in thongs, or bereft of footwear altogether sometimes. We walk to the corner shop in our pyjamas, even venture to the McDonalds drive through in our daggy bed clothes. I've gone to school in my pyjamas for a fundraising day before, and whilst I got looked at, it wasn't too shocking.

It's come to my attention, through my mothers constant horror at my conversations, that the level of 'formality' and its associated constraints in conversations these days is so ridiculously low it almost doesn't exist. And to be frank, I am loving it.

In the 'how do you do?' days, you'd never tell your best girlfriend you had lady problems in public. You would have to think long and hard about telling her in confidence, too.

You wouldn't reminisce about how streaking through a church graveyard after a night of heavy drinking was so funny.

And you certainly wouln't, even on pain of death, casually talk about the invigorating casual sex you had on the previous casual Friday when you casually hooked up with some random. And you especially wouldn't discuss it on the bus.

However I honestly have had far more candid conversations at work, on the bus, at the pub with friends and generally wherever. It barely registers that certain conversations aren't Appropriate ones to have. Yeah, maybe voices are lowered when we get to the really really good stuff, but the once formal and rigid ettiquette for any and all interactions has changed. My mother, bless her conservative soul, would likely disagree about appropriate and inappropriate conversations, but she's quite special.

So drop me a line if you're still holding on to the remnants of formal ettiquette, or if you too are living it up in this new era of relaxed rules. Is it for the better? I would argue yes, but I'd love to hear your opinion.

Jessenia xoxo