Writing Topic
Consider the following
statement. It is always bad to be impolite. Do you agree with this idea?
Support your response by including specific reasons and examples.
☆Let’s Think
The statement of this writing topic includes the word “always”. It
is usually the case that things have exceptions, and thus it cannot be said
that something always happens in most cases, but there are things without
exceptions, and hence can be described with the word always.
Impolite is a word with negative
connotations. Impoliteness is an anathema. Mothers do everything to prevent
their children from becoming a bull in a china shop.
On the other hand, there seem to be some
cases in which impoliteness is allowed. We often see not only the young but
grown-ups intentionally making breach of manners in public without punishment
or even gaining some sympathy. What those people are at is to have some impact
on the awareness on some issues. Many people praised Colin Kaepernick, a
professional American football player, for raising awareness of the injustice
against non-white people in the US by refusing to stand up during the national
anthem before the game, though many others thought he does not pay respect to his
country.
Also, an action can be humiliating to some while it is not to
others. If someone expects a certain person to behave in front of him or her
like a sinner in front of a god when he or she is not and behaves just like
other people, the person might regard him or her as defiant and thinks that he
or she deserves all kinds of punishment. Many black people in the US have lost their
lives just by talking back to a policeman, in a crisis which a white person
would have pulled through by doing the same.
☆Hints for Points
Agree
1.
Impoliteness hurt others, and
for whatever reason it was, hurting someone is always bad.
2.
As is often said, how you say
something counts more than what you say. Even if what you say is right, no one
listens to you if you are saying it in a mean way. People cannot stand
rudeness. By your violation of manners, you can be looked down upon, lose
trust, or just shock others, or even bring in those who simply enjoy bullying
into your life.
3.
There should always be ways to
avoid impoliteness. We have ways to make our voices heard without seeking
resort to impoliteness such as laws and humor.
4.
Being uncivilized is bad and
ignoring manners is uncivilized. People and cultures that prioritize courtesy
are respected. The civilization which thrived in Kyoto for about thousand years
left a culture of cordiality along with sophisticated works of art and
literature. Those noble people were not free from the dark side of human
activities, but, because of their lifestyle which put supremacy on
gracefulness, the farthest from impoliteness, the life of Heian nobles and the
culture they left in people in Kyoto have always been admired throughout
history.
Disagree:
1.
Impoliteness is used as a
protest against unfair or oppressive actions. The examples are as follows:
1)
Burning a flag of a country in
protest is a common practice. It is impolite to destroy the symbol of a nation,
but the actions are seldom criticized. Also, some peaceful protesters making
loud speeches sound impolite to some people but these actions are protected as
rights. Even raising one’s middle finger in the air in some circumstances is acceptable
to many as a gesture of protest.
2)
An Iraqi journalist threw a
shoe, which is the worst insult in his culture, at President Bush who had
started Iraq War unilaterally. The story of his conduct has since been music to
the ear of not only the most people in Iraq but also many across the world.
2.
It seems that under some
conditions, we allow ourselves to break some codes of politeness. Any culture
has a tradition of entertainment which often makes use of rude words or
actions. Some jokes and pranks lack decency but make us laugh. They seem to attack
negative elements in us like hypocrisy, greed, or insensitivity. Comedians and
satirists are professionals in this tradition. We enjoy seeing them act rudely
to famous people or reading political satires in which prominent people are
made fun of. Through behaviors and wording like a fearless child, they remind
us that important people also have the same problems as ours, or they speak for
us what most of us have in mind but are reluctant to express, like bitterness
on tax raise. Some artists use the same tactic for expression and choose
offensive ways to provoke viewers and stimulate their artistic experience or
thoughts. An apparel maker Bennetone often puts up controversial posters and
some people find them offensive. For example, it once produced posters of
photo-shopped pictures of opposing world leaders kissing each other.
3.
Unintended impoliteness might
be permissible partly because feeling of humiliation is quite subjective. We
unintentionally offend others for a variety of reasons such as cultural difference,
discrimination, lack of information, or difference of notions. For example,
pointing out some mistakes which cannot be ignored as minor ones at work is in
itself neither polite nor impolite. It is a duty, for the company or
organization might suffer in the future if the mistakes are not corrected. It
seems that the action is not thought to be impolite, as long as the mistakes
are reported in such a considerate manner as saying, “Excuse me, but while I
was doing my task with this document, I noticed something, and I marked the
parts of my concern. I would appreciate it if you would take a look at them.
However, some people might still get offended by it for some reason. It is
unfortunate that we do not have exactly the same standard of politeness. Someone’s
highest respect can be another’s irritation. Strictly speaking, we never do the
right thing in terms of courtesy. We had better forgive each other on this
matter.
☆Sample Essay Structure
【Introduction =
Outline】I cannot agree with the statement that it
is always bad to be impolite because there are cases in which impoliteness is
pardoned.
【Point 1】Defiant attitudes are often admired.
【Point 2】Impoliteness is sometimes necessary to do the right thing.
【Point 3 / Counterargument-treatment】Hurting others’ feelings is bad but losing manners is not always it.
【Conclusion = Wrap-up】There are things that are more important than good manners.
Your Sample Essay Structure
【Introduction =
Outline】
【Point 1】
【Point 2】
【Point 3 /
Counterargument-treatment】
【Conclusion = Wrap-up】
☆Sample Paragraph
development
【Main Idea】Impoliteness is sometimes necessary to do the right thing.
【Explanation】A rigid stickler to manners may miss a crucial moment of life.
【Detail / Example in
general】For example, there are times when your
inner voice demands you to raise your voice even if it makes some people feel
offended
【More Specific Detail
/ Example】In 2003, in the wake of America’s
decision to invade Iraq over the opposition of the UN, Michael Moore, the
documentary film director, shouted, “Shame on you, Mr. Bush!” while he was
making his acceptance speech at the Academy Awards ceremony and caused a rage.
Many people blamed him of being rude to the President and some even tried to
kill him. But in the end, it turned out that he was right. The war was based on
a lie fabricated by the US government. Also, the experience made him make
Capitalism, a Love Story, a work that a filmmaker living in this moment of
human history ought to produce but needs some guts for it.
【Follow-up /
Counterargument-treatment】There could be a
different approach to make one’s voice heard, but sometimes it cannot be helped
to put something before manners. In Michael Moore’s case, there seems to have
been no other choice for a conscientious person who happened to have a chance
to be heard by all citizens than taking a stand against what he knew totally
wrong in a noticeable way.
【Conclusion】Some things are more important than politeness.
Your Sample Paragraph
Development
【Main Idea】
【Explanation】
【Detail / Example in
general】
【More Specific Detail
/ Example】
【Follow-up /
Counterargument-treatment】
【Conclusion】
