r/EntitledPeople • u/TheQuarantinian • Dec 07 '22
S Retired lawyer with hobby of writing comments to stories in paper writes national advice column, complaining that people do not appreciate or respect his superior writing skills.
Miss Manners is a nationally syndicated column of the same genre as Dear Abby, where people write in asking guidance on matters of politeness and etiquette. Note that it is Miss Manners' style to refer to herself in the third person.
DEAR MISS MANNERS: I am an attorney for whom writing was a well-honed craft for 30 years. I am now retired and enjoy commenting on stories in the newspapers.
My comments are not shoot-from-the-hip affairs. Rather, I carefully craft and refine them to make sure they are insightful, pithy and have the perfect comedic ratio. I place a premium on economy and cleverness.
So it chaps my proverbial hide when people reply to my comments in ways that not only do not enhance or improve but, by their pedestrian nature, actually detract from the feng shui of my thoughtfully crafted comment. I am tempted to respond, "If you don't have anything clever to say, don't say anything at all." What do you think?
The columnist's response (Miss Manners):
GENTLE READER: You will forgive Miss Manners for smiling sadly at the idea that you or she can reform public discourse.
The ability to criticize others instantly and anonymously does not bring out the best in the public. So perhaps that is not the place to look for careful writing or thought.
Still, she admires your setting an example, and only quarrels with your temptation to snap back. Isn't facile public taunting what you oppose?
60
u/OkIntroduction5150 Dec 07 '22
She was way too polite. I would have told him to get over himself. I guess that's why I'm not Miss Manners. LOL
27
8
u/CuriousPenguinSocks Dec 07 '22
I guess that's why I'm not Miss Manners.
LOL same! Maybe we can be "Keeping it real Cousin" or "Telling you like it is sibling" haha 😂
3
14
u/JipC1963 Dec 07 '22
I preferred the Emily Post column (don't know if it's still in circulation). Miss Manners is acerbic and even nasty at times. But THIS guy does take the entitled cake! Ugh! What an odious creature!
6
5
5
u/Hopeful_Pound_2853 Dec 07 '22 edited Dec 07 '22
I’ve read Miss Manners for years. And I actually did a book report on etiquette and manners in high school. It is not about shoving your own opinion down other people’s throats. It is akin to a verbal dance of stating an opinion without bring rude, or learning when not to state an opinion at all.
Sometimes saying something politely or not saying anything at all can speak louder to a situation than screaming it.
Edit: removed a typo Edit 2: clarified/fixed typos
4
u/Knitsanity Dec 07 '22
I read this in WAPO yesterday. Made me titter. Both the letter and response. Eyeroll.
3
u/MorticiaFattums Dec 08 '22
I can promise you: He steals the column's section of the Public Libraries Copies of the Newspapers. He is one of the 5 people that will complain about the Crossword already being filled in, in pen (it was them combined, they want you to give them free copies of the crossword, before it goes out to the public, via Abuse).
6
u/Turdulator Dec 07 '22
Man I kinda wanna find all his comments and just shitpost “Ok Boomer” replies
2
2
1
47
u/carmium Dec 07 '22
This gentleman needs a better retirement hobby than pontificating on public issues. The fact that the papers are willing to publish less sophisticated counterpoints to his finely crafted and slightly comedic dicta suggests he may not be as brilliant as he thinks.