Polite Test

Our morning news and our morning papers screamed that Auckland, the city I live in, is the seventh most polite city in the world! Living in a small country, you soon learn how quickly media jumps at the chance to show that our country is top in one thing or the other. Our media failed to mention what was involved in the politeness test, just that we were 7th! More importantly, we beat Australia! Those impolite so and sos! Three things were tested in the 'politeness' test. Number one was holding doors open for others. Number two was helping someone pick up dropped papers and number three was seeing if shop assistants say thankyou. That's it. Nothing else. Nothing about helping people who are lost. Nothing about crime levels. ( I don't know about you, but I find having my wallet stolen highly impolite!). Nothing about giving up your seat for the old or the infirm. Basically nothing really of worth. Rest assured Seoul, I know you are a very polite city, don't listen to the Reader's Digest! We Kiwis are pretty polite, but how can you measure anything on just three sets of criteria?

San Nakji for President!