Metropolitan municipality book teaches good manners
Güncelleme Tarihi:
by Aslı Sağlam
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Ocak 06, 2009 00:00
ISTANBUL- The book, 'Living well-mannered in Istanbul,' published by the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, tells people how to dress, how to behave and provides other advice about daily behavior. Although most people find it strange, some say people in Istanbul need to learn how to behave
The Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality has decided to tackle problems with urban etiquette.
"All people in Istanbul make the city more beautiful with their good manners and delicacy," the cover of a book published by the municipality reads.
The book, "Living well-mannered in Istanbul," part of a project that aims to entice people in the city to read more books, tells people how to dress, how to behave in shopping malls, how to present gifts to friends and provides other advice about daily behavior.
Although many people will find it strange that the municipality has published such a book, others say it is a good way for people in Istanbul to learn how to live in a big city. It even tells readers how to talk on the phone, how to behave in traffic, why they should exercise and to "Take advantage of technology, but do not become captivated."
Before a few pages of introduction, Kadir Topbaş, Istanbul mayor, salutes readers and writes about the Itinerant Book Project that aims for people to read more books by placing these books around the city: in ferries, cafes, subways, benches and buses. Once a person has finished reading the book, he or she should leave it in another public space. The book aims to teach people how to be good mannered, if people do in fact read it.
Hakkı Devrim, a veteran journalist, columnist and writer, who offered to make an etiquette program to a TV channel years ago after being inspired by a French book on the subject, said, "I was turned down because they did not want to follow a French book to teach manners."
Devrim said although there were books like this in many countries in the world, "I do not think this is the metropolitan municipality’s job to publish a book teaching manners to people in Istanbul."
Giving the example of lectures diplomats and university students received that taught them how to cook, argue and talk, Devrim said, "Of course there are rules of etiquette and people have to know about them, but it is surprising to see a book about how to be well-mannered in Istanbul published by a municipality."
Devrim said if a municipality published a book on manners, it meant everything was on an even keel in the city. "We should teach manners in a sincere way, not with a book," he said. "Then again, everything starts with family education. I get on well with my grandson’s friends, if they are well mannered."
Senih Gürdamar, a 46-year-old pensioner, said even though he was a bookworm he did not know that a book like this existed. "I am surprised."
Gürdamar said Istanbul was a city that hosted thousands of migrants and there were new neighborhoods and slums being established each year. "The metropolitan municipality should spend time controlling migration and urbanization rather than putting this book together. They should work out how to offer a better life to people before telling them how to behave."
He said big problems occur in public areas, on buses and in traffic. "People do not know how to behave," he said. "When I was younger, people used to salute and smile at each other, or hold the door open waiting for one another to pass. Young people used to give up their seats to elders."
He said a lack of manners could not be blamed solely on a lack of education. "Most people who live in big cities are selfish. Education starts in the family when children are young. Manners should also be thought in classes at primary schools," he said and added that after skimming the book he had decided to read it because he was curious about what was inside.
Güliz Özmenay, 26, a customer representative in an international advertisement company, saw a friend’s copy of the book. Özmenay has lived in Istanbul for more than seven years after being born and raised in the Aegean city of İzmir. She said, "I sometimes cannot tolerate the carelessness of people in Istanbul." She said she thought the book idea was logical because if it worked out, it may give people the opportunity to read more books. "It is an interesting project, but I cannot see how this book can be part of it. I scanned the book when I first saw it and I do not think it is very useful."
She said there was nothing new in it and that it was all about manners people should have anyway. "Furthermore, when the way people behave and what kind of manners they should have are written in a book, it is a bit silly. It made me laugh in some parts."
She said she thought most people in Istanbul should be the judge of their own behavior and learn manners if they wanted to live in a city with a population of 17 million.
Özmenay said people started to learn manners in childhood. She said she did not find the book helpful, but hoped that some people who read it would pick up good manners.
Those who want to learn to live a well-mannered life in Istanbul according to the municipality should open their eyes and if one day they should come across this book, then they should try reading a few pages.
"All people in Istanbul make the city more beautiful with their good manners and delicacy," the cover of a book published by the municipality reads.
The book, "Living well-mannered in Istanbul," part of a project that aims to entice people in the city to read more books, tells people how to dress, how to behave in shopping malls, how to present gifts to friends and provides other advice about daily behavior.
Although many people will find it strange that the municipality has published such a book, others say it is a good way for people in Istanbul to learn how to live in a big city. It even tells readers how to talk on the phone, how to behave in traffic, why they should exercise and to "Take advantage of technology, but do not become captivated."
Before a few pages of introduction, Kadir Topbaş, Istanbul mayor, salutes readers and writes about the Itinerant Book Project that aims for people to read more books by placing these books around the city: in ferries, cafes, subways, benches and buses. Once a person has finished reading the book, he or she should leave it in another public space. The book aims to teach people how to be good mannered, if people do in fact read it.
Hakkı Devrim, a veteran journalist, columnist and writer, who offered to make an etiquette program to a TV channel years ago after being inspired by a French book on the subject, said, "I was turned down because they did not want to follow a French book to teach manners."
Devrim said although there were books like this in many countries in the world, "I do not think this is the metropolitan municipality’s job to publish a book teaching manners to people in Istanbul."
Giving the example of lectures diplomats and university students received that taught them how to cook, argue and talk, Devrim said, "Of course there are rules of etiquette and people have to know about them, but it is surprising to see a book about how to be well-mannered in Istanbul published by a municipality."
Devrim said if a municipality published a book on manners, it meant everything was on an even keel in the city. "We should teach manners in a sincere way, not with a book," he said. "Then again, everything starts with family education. I get on well with my grandson’s friends, if they are well mannered."
Senih Gürdamar, a 46-year-old pensioner, said even though he was a bookworm he did not know that a book like this existed. "I am surprised."
Gürdamar said Istanbul was a city that hosted thousands of migrants and there were new neighborhoods and slums being established each year. "The metropolitan municipality should spend time controlling migration and urbanization rather than putting this book together. They should work out how to offer a better life to people before telling them how to behave."
He said big problems occur in public areas, on buses and in traffic. "People do not know how to behave," he said. "When I was younger, people used to salute and smile at each other, or hold the door open waiting for one another to pass. Young people used to give up their seats to elders."
He said a lack of manners could not be blamed solely on a lack of education. "Most people who live in big cities are selfish. Education starts in the family when children are young. Manners should also be thought in classes at primary schools," he said and added that after skimming the book he had decided to read it because he was curious about what was inside.
Güliz Özmenay, 26, a customer representative in an international advertisement company, saw a friend’s copy of the book. Özmenay has lived in Istanbul for more than seven years after being born and raised in the Aegean city of İzmir. She said, "I sometimes cannot tolerate the carelessness of people in Istanbul." She said she thought the book idea was logical because if it worked out, it may give people the opportunity to read more books. "It is an interesting project, but I cannot see how this book can be part of it. I scanned the book when I first saw it and I do not think it is very useful."
She said there was nothing new in it and that it was all about manners people should have anyway. "Furthermore, when the way people behave and what kind of manners they should have are written in a book, it is a bit silly. It made me laugh in some parts."
She said she thought most people in Istanbul should be the judge of their own behavior and learn manners if they wanted to live in a city with a population of 17 million.
Özmenay said people started to learn manners in childhood. She said she did not find the book helpful, but hoped that some people who read it would pick up good manners.
Those who want to learn to live a well-mannered life in Istanbul according to the municipality should open their eyes and if one day they should come across this book, then they should try reading a few pages.