Bringing to mind something I wrote about last week (The Quarterlife Crisis), this advice to those 25 and over is more etiquette lesson than antidote to the 20-something malaise.
It is time, if you have not already done so, for you to emerge from your cocoon of post-adolescent dithering and self-absorption and join the rest of us in the world. Past the quarter-century mark, you see, certain actions, attitudes, and behaviors will simply no longer do, and while it might seem unpleasant to feign a maturity and solicitousness towards others that you may not genuinely feel, it is not only appreciated by others but necessary for your continued survival.
Three that particularly struck a chord:
- Develop a physical awareness of your surroundings (“You […] need to learn to sense others and get out of their way.”).
- Have something to talk about besides college or your job (“Be interested so that you can be interesting”).
- Rudeness is not a signifier of your importance (“Be civil or be elsewhere”).
via Kottke