JessicaRulestheUniverse.com

Of course manners matter, even if it’s apparently acceptable to behave as if one has been raised by wolves (and that’s an insult to the wolves). Like it or not, we have to coexist in the same space, and we will have to interact with each other at some point, so it’s in our best interest to make the interaction as painless as possible. I don’t mean you have to make a fuss about which fork goes with what dish, or avert your eyes and sigh loudly whenever anyone commits a gaffe (which is reason to beat you up). We don’t even have to pretend to be nice to each other—which is phony and not good—we just have to be civil. Be considerate. Then get the hell out of the way. Here’s the Urban Etiquette Guide. It covers matters such as how to steal a cab politely, when you should take off your earphones, and what to do if an officemate starts crying. It’s not Manila-specific but it’ll do for now.