Canadian man says Indians need to be more polite, sparks debate: ‘Courtesy in short supply in India’
A Canadian man's post on X advising Indians to adopt basic manners like saying ‘thank you’ and ‘sorry’ has triggered a conversation.
The man begins with saying, “Indians, be more polite,” before outlining five suggestions to foster basic civility, particularly in public spaces. These include saying “thank you” to service workers such as shopkeepers and delivery personnel, using “excuse me” and “sorry” when needed, avoiding shouting at waiters or drivers, respecting queues without pushing, and making eye contact and smiling at strangers – simple gestures, he argues, that cost nothing but go a long way.
Take a look at the video:
The video has triggered a flood of responses, many reflecting on how politeness is perceived and often undervalued in Indian society. One user wrote, "“Studied abroad for a few years. It was a common practice to say ‘thank you’ to shopkeepers, supermarket workers, bus drivers — you get the idea. It was difficult to accept at first, but one picks up these habits over time. Came back to India and ever since, I’ve always maintained the same. The responses are mixed. Some are surprised, some are uncomfortable, and very few feel acknowledged. I was once outright asked, ‘What’s the point of thanking someone like them, when they’re literally doing their jobs?’”
Another user chimed in with a broader critique, suggesting that change needs to begin at home and in schools: “It will be much better if this challenge is given to teachers and parents in India — to teach this to their students and kids.”
One user wrote, 'Been doing this since my childhood. A discipline learned from ICSE school."
Another added, “while I agree in principle, but being patient is the need of the day than being polite. A lot of the polite club acts will automatically be inculcated once people start being patient here in India. So many examples but one that comes to my mind because I love driving is the amount of stupidity that can be avoided by simply being patient - right of way, waiting for pedestrians, not honking, and most importantly letting others take space while driving.”
