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Politeness works fine with many people in many circustances, and it has bought me out of a few pinches. I've seen a cop's face go from suspicious anger to plac

Politeness works fine with many people in many circustances, and it has bought me out of a few pinches. I've seen a cop's face go from suspicious anger to placidity from a smooth handling of their concerns. I'd wager that most of the time, politeness won't hurt and sometimes it will help. Sometimes though you're right, particularly with law enforcement, if someone is in a bad mood and on a power trip it will not make one iota of difference. What I took from this is to pay attention, there's no need to consistently clam up like this guy does, but remember it's an option because sometimes it may be necessary.

lzw 16y ago
You're still chasing a red herring: By all accounts this guy was polite. You're using the word "politeness" to mean "absolutely subservient to the whims of authority". He WAS polite, but stood on his rights. Including the absolute right to silence, which he politely explained.
- flatline 16y ago
  "absolutely subservient to the whims of authority" That's reading an awful lot into what I wrote. By the author's own language he appears to bear a grudge against the CBP, so while he sounds polite by his own account he clearly goes out of his way to prove a (valid) point. I don't really see a problem with, most of the time, answering that I was on a business trip and packed my own bags, nor should most people in a "polite society". I don't see how this is being subservient to anyone. Wouldn't a better policy be to assume no problem and only raise the issue if they raise it first? It's healthy for society to have people push back against the system but it's also in our best interest, overall, to have security and part of that security is making judgments based on how someone responds to simple questions.
- points 16y ago
  >>“Why were you in China?” asked the passport control officer, a woman with the appearance and disposition of a prison matron. >>“None of your business,” I said. That's not being polite. Being polite would be to say "Just visiting for fun". It sounds like he didn't want to get through passport control. Much of life is about jumping through silly arbitrary hoops to get what you want. In the case of getting through customs+immigration, you just keep quiet, don't cause a fuss, and tell them what they'd like to hear.
  - rue 16y ago
    > That's not being polite. Being polite would be to say "Just visiting for fun". No, that is revealing information unnecessarily. "Sorry, I am not required to answer that question" is a polite version of "none of your business".
    - points 16y ago
      What information did you reveal? That you thought China would be fun? Jeez this is verging on some conspiracy theory where you disclosing the fact that you had fun/thought you may have fun implicates you in someones murder. Either you answer the question with a nondescript answer "I like China" or you're just being a dick. Reminds me of the idiotic thinking of Richard Stallman. I have no time for 'principled' martyr type people who cut off their nose to spite their face.
      - rue 16y ago
        The statement was not a polite version of the original. It offered additional information. You may not see any problems with it, nor agree with the article's assertions. That is your choice. Equally the "dick" is allowed to tell them it is none of their business - though I think my (slightly more) polite version would be better.
        points 16y ago
        >> "Equally the "dick" is allowed to tell them it is none of their business" And as has been stated elsewhere, the security personel are allowed to detain them, submit them to body cavity searches and be equally dickish. It goes both ways...
        gizmomagico 16y ago
        > It goes both ways... Actually it usually goes only one way..
        16y ago

lzw 16y ago

You're still chasing a red herring: By all accounts this guy was polite. You're using the word "politeness" to mean "absolutely subservient to the whims of authority". He WAS polite, but stood on his rights. Including the absolute right to silence, which he politely explained.

flatline 16y ago
"absolutely subservient to the whims of authority" That's reading an awful lot into what I wrote. By the author's own language he appears to bear a grudge against the CBP, so while he sounds polite by his own account he clearly goes out of his way to prove a (valid) point. I don't really see a problem with, most of the time, answering that I was on a business trip and packed my own bags, nor should most people in a "polite society". I don't see how this is being subservient to anyone. Wouldn't a better policy be to assume no problem and only raise the issue if they raise it first? It's healthy for society to have people push back against the system but it's also in our best interest, overall, to have security and part of that security is making judgments based on how someone responds to simple questions.
points 16y ago
>>“Why were you in China?” asked the passport control officer, a woman with the appearance and disposition of a prison matron. >>“None of your business,” I said. That's not being polite. Being polite would be to say "Just visiting for fun". It sounds like he didn't want to get through passport control. Much of life is about jumping through silly arbitrary hoops to get what you want. In the case of getting through customs+immigration, you just keep quiet, don't cause a fuss, and tell them what they'd like to hear.
- rue 16y ago
  > That's not being polite. Being polite would be to say "Just visiting for fun". No, that is revealing information unnecessarily. "Sorry, I am not required to answer that question" is a polite version of "none of your business".
  - points 16y ago
    What information did you reveal? That you thought China would be fun? Jeez this is verging on some conspiracy theory where you disclosing the fact that you had fun/thought you may have fun implicates you in someones murder. Either you answer the question with a nondescript answer "I like China" or you're just being a dick. Reminds me of the idiotic thinking of Richard Stallman. I have no time for 'principled' martyr type people who cut off their nose to spite their face.
    - rue 16y ago
      The statement was not a polite version of the original. It offered additional information. You may not see any problems with it, nor agree with the article's assertions. That is your choice. Equally the "dick" is allowed to tell them it is none of their business - though I think my (slightly more) polite version would be better.
      - points 16y ago
        >> "Equally the "dick" is allowed to tell them it is none of their business" And as has been stated elsewhere, the security personel are allowed to detain them, submit them to body cavity searches and be equally dickish. It goes both ways...
        gizmomagico 16y ago
        > It goes both ways... Actually it usually goes only one way..
        16y ago