Social Primer

Like Sir Thomas More’s idyllic island Utopia, SP envisions Social Primer as a place where the ideal of a well-mannered society can exist.  Readers of these pages know that SP sets the bar high, so yes, Sir Thomas More would be a suitable comparison. Moving on. We inhabit an increasingly frenetic world where manners are often considered a liability; I created this little island on the internet to lament, rant and in the end dream of a more civilized world. This is not to say that I am the perfect paradigm, as longtime friends who visit this island often remind me. The observations here are oftentimes borne of frustration and annoyance. The sustaining principle here is that those who appreciate such things will find here a kindred spirit speaking in a reasonable – well, perhaps sometimes pompous third person — voice.

When SP writes of the role of the gentleman, it is not from a lofty pulpit. No, the mission of Social Primer is one of preservation, to discover what is good and civil and right in society and dust off these tenets and present them anew. I undertake this task for myself, and for anyone else who might find such excavations interesting. I am right in the middle of the confusing mix wanting what is decent and good. When SP pontificates on the “right” wardrobe, please don’t be surprised to discover that I may be woefully inadequate in this area should our paths ever cross in the real world. SP is interested in the right way — or ideal — and is always searching for the original, the root, the etymology, if you will. I do not presume to order anyone to adhere to these pronouncements or else be condemned to barbarism – though at times it may seem so. SP offers these triflings so that if you, like me, ever find yourself in a similar situation you will know the correct manner, style, and reaction should you choose to employ such. Good manners are not congenital. Just as Homo eructus did not saunter out of the cave knowing which fork to use and when to stand to greet a lady, not all of us were born with parents who inheritably knew the correct way to proceed through life. Good manners are taught and learned. SP pines for an ideal world where manners and civility are the common order of the day, not extraordinary occurrences that warrant attention. What could be more idyllic that that?