I had to ask my teacher something, but I was afraid that I’d come across as rude if I asked her. I thought to myself, “Rudeness isn’t appropriate in this situation.” It led me to wonder, can rudeness ever be considered appropriate in any situation?
What if someone’s really bothering you, and they only stop if you’re rude to them?
Yes. The world is full of miniature psychopaths who are happy to exploit other peoples’ reluctance to be rude or engage in confrontation. After all polite means are exhausted, rudeness is justified.
Don’t give up your fight, my brother. My master ushered in a victory for those who passionately fight against assholes! Assholes shall be vanquished. Have faith in us.
Rudeness is entirely appropriate in emergency situations. You don’t wait for someone to finish a conversation; you barge in and interrupt their conversation, screaming “help me, I’m bleeding to death!” You honk your horn, you cut people off (in a safe way - it’s possible to be safe while being rude behind the wheel) on the way to the ER.
Some people do tend to confuse honesty with rudeness. There are occasions when an excessive honesty can be rude - witness the “3 fat girls” fiasco, or telling your neighbor’s wife truthfully that the dinner she just served you and your wife was far inferior to what you’ve had elsewhere - but honest conversation is not intrinsically rude.
Calling someone out for their shitty behavior is not rude, unless you choose to express your disapproval with nothing more eloquent than a string of obscene insults.
Rude behavior is inappropriate by definition. If it’s not inappropriate (such as interrupting a conversation because someone is bleeding to death) it’s not rude.
Asking a teacher a question isn’t rude. (Unless you were planning on asking something that’s insulting or none of your business.)
I read Miss Manners a lot, and I love her, but I do agree with this one thing of hers: that rudeness is never acceptable. I disagree, obviously. I think it’s rarely acceptable, but there is a point in which you must utilize it.
As I grow older I have gotten better at shutting people down without being rude, and generally don’t have to. But sometimes it’s just necessary.
According to Miss Manners, rudeness occurs when you unintentionally insult someone. Intentionally insulting one is not rude. Suicidal, depending on the circumstances, but not rude.
They’re not rude, they’re brusque. There is a difference. I have had wonderful treatment in NYC but you can’t fuck around. You can’t walk up to people and say “Uh…” But if you say “I need to get to Times Square, which subway line do I take?” They go out of their way to be helpful.