Back in the day, etiquette wasn’t just about manners — it was social armor. You said “good afternoon” even if you hated the person, because your grandma would rise from the grave to slap you if you didn’t. Now, we live in an age where “good afternoon” sounds like a scam call.

There was once something called “finishing school,” actual institutions that taught posture, poise, and how to not slurp soup like a swamp creature. In 1950s America, charm schools turned out people who could attend dinner parties without starting political fights or filming themselves eating shrimp.

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