蜜芽传媒

The mark of a civilised country is to know what it is to be civil.

But what if you don't know?

Across the ages, social commentators have written guide books to tell the uninitiated how to do the right thing at the right time in the right way.

And it's not just snobs that have published guides - the great Renaissance theologian Erasmus took time out from arguing with Luther to instruct children how to behave in company.

Nor is it yet another invention of Victorian England. 5,000 years ago, Ptah-Hotep set down on papyrus the rules of behaviour that all wise men should convey to their sons.

But we can go right through to the making of manners in cyberspace - how to respond to emails without causing offence? What is acceptable on social media?

In the world of 鈥渘etiquette鈥�, we don鈥檛 have facial expressions, gestures, and tone of voice to help, so rules need to be applied.

Presented by Ann Widdecombe.

Producer: David Prest.

A Whistledown production for 蜜芽传媒 Radio 4, first broadcast in January 2016.

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