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December 24, 2025
The hill I will die on: Being late can be the height of good manners and decorum, actually
Instead of seeing etiquette as a set of categorical rules, we should recognise that poor form can actually have good consequences
TL;DR
- Lateness is not universally rude; it can be a sign of good manners in specific situations.
- Arriving late for an inexperienced host can be helpful, allowing them time to manage cooking and preparation.
- Being late for a date can help the other person calm down, and being late for a new mother offers her personal time.
- Arriving late when breaking up with someone can make them remember you negatively, potentially easing their pain.
- Good manners should be seen as responding to what an individual truly needs in a given situation, rather than following rigid rules.
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