Write a paragraph discussing a common cliché that you feel is overused or inaccurate.
One day, my uncle travelled to England to visit his British friend. When they went to the restaurant, his friend invited him to eat pig meet but my aunt refused, "we don't eat pig meet in my country." His friend replied, "Give it a try! When in Rome, do as the Romans do." What does this proverb mean? How can we decide whether to follow it or not when we confront a new custom in a new place?
"When in Rome, do as the Romans do" means that when you are visiting a new place, follow local customs and act as people acting in that place. However, this proverb sometimes can be a really bad idea. When you are faced with a new tradition in a new place, you have to think before doing as the Romans do. In making this decision, three main considerations are important: etiquette consideration, practical consideration, and ethical consideration. First, etiquette considerations are little rules that are not worth to worry about like keeping both hands on the table -or otherwise in sight - as a sign of politeness when you are in Germany. Why? That is the rule. In this case, just follow the custom and roll on with your life. But when you are faced with a practical tradition such as the south Asian custom of eating with hands, think about how your act will affect you and people around and what is the fallout of your behavior? Your decision depends on the particular group of people you are socializing with. Finally, never follow customs that you find them ethically wrong. For example, if you religiously or healthily believe of not drinking alcohol, never drink it wherever you are and whoever serves it to you, even it might be rude or your hosts will get upset at your impoliteness. Though "When in Rome, do as the Romans do" is a good proverb in few cases, I prefer Emily Page' advice: "If you're trying your best to be polite, to take into consideration the feelings of those around you, while also sticking to your ethical principles, then no one who has manners themselves should fault you".
When In Rome, Do As the Romans Do.
One day, my uncle travelled to England to visit his British friend. When they went to the restaurant, his friend invited him to eat pig meet but my aunt refused, "we don't eat pig meet in my country." His friend replied, "Give it a try! When in Rome, do as the Romans do." What does this proverb mean? How can we decide whether to follow it or not when we confront a new custom in a new place?
"When in Rome, do as the Romans do" means that when you are visiting a new place, follow local customs and act as people acting in that place. However, this proverb sometimes can be a really bad idea. When you are faced with a new tradition in a new place, you have to think before doing as the Romans do. In making this decision, three main considerations are important: etiquette consideration, practical consideration, and ethical consideration. First, etiquette considerations are little rules that are not worth to worry about like keeping both hands on the table -or otherwise in sight - as a sign of politeness when you are in Germany. Why? That is the rule. In this case, just follow the custom and roll on with your life. But when you are faced with a practical tradition such as the south Asian custom of eating with hands, think about how your act will affect you and people around and what is the fallout of your behavior? Your decision depends on the particular group of people you are socializing with. Finally, never follow customs that you find them ethically wrong. For example, if you religiously or healthily believe of not drinking alcohol, never drink it wherever you are and whoever serves it to you, even it might be rude or your hosts will get upset at your impoliteness. Though "When in Rome, do as the Romans do" is a good proverb in few cases, I prefer Emily Page' advice: "If you're trying your best to be polite, to take into consideration the feelings of those around you, while also sticking to your ethical principles, then no one who has manners themselves should fault you".
