In China, manners matter

You can hear the man – a New Yorker, by the sound of him – yelling across the airport.

“I’m not stupid. I get it.’’

Stupid, maybe not – but definitely a Class A jerk.

The issue at hand was his seats to New York. And while certainly getting a comfy seat is important on a long-haul flight, screaming isn’t the way to do it. Not in the U.S. – and certainly not in China.

In China, manners matter. Sure, the Chinese are shifting away from some habits considered unsavory in the U.S., like spitting and pulling out nose boogers in public. But Chinese are polite in their speech…it’s a matter of saving face. And so yelling and screaming in public isn’t just rude, it’s counterproductive.

That idea was clearly lost on Mr. New York, who also screamed at his guide. Hope he got stuck in middle seats all the way to the U.S. And heaven forbid that the teenage son with him grow up with habits such as oenerous.