Originally Posted by
mike_asia
4 hour flight. I was taught that there are certain places you should be quiet.. Church, Doctors office, Elevators, Library, etc. Maybe I lived in Japan too long where people are polite on public transportation but I still think any crowded place like an airplane is not the place for 4 hours of smalltalk
You are right. Politeness is all about the being aware of the feelings and preferences of others. People have the RIGHT to chat away for hours on end in the confined cabin space of an airplane. Unfortunately, people not a party to the conversion have no natural ability to close their ears. The chatterboxes should show some self-restraint. However, it is also rude to demand that others refrain from exercising their rights. So in this age of ill manners, the best solution is probably the headphones
