A Recession Etiquette Lesson With: Peggy Post

摘要

You might thinkthe current economic crisis would put etiquette expert Peggy Post out of work. Who cares about niceties when millions of people are losing their job? But the recession has given rise to an epidemic of foot-in-mouth disease, with incidents ranging from the awkward to the deeply wounding. For example, how do you ask a co-worker if she survived the layoffs, or turn down a relative's request for a loan? "Being respectful and considerate is always important, especially in these trying times," says Post, the great-granddaughter-in-law of etiquette guru Emily Post. The author of more than a dozen etiquette books, Post says it's O.K. to be assertive about your financial troubles, at least in non-work situations. (The magic words: "That's out of my budget.") But if you think people are being stupid with their money, she notes, "I wouldn't recommend going around to your friends and family and saying, 'Hey, cut back;