Life is made easier when you know there is an order to things, a base guideline of what is correct and considerate, and most importantly when it comes to people with traditions and customs. What will not appear to be offensive, neglectful or rude? There seems to be etiquette for everything.
Etiquette, an aspect of decorum, is a code or one aspect of decorum that governs the expectations of social behavior, according to the conventional norm within a society, social class, or group. Merriam Webster defines etiquette as the product or procedure required by good breeding or prescribed by authority to be observed in social or official life. Etiquette is a guideline to be followed to avoid an orange at one point. It is the rules governing socially acceptable behavior or the conventional norm. The rules of etiquette govern how people behave in a variety of situation. Etiquette is normally unwritten, but it may be codified in written form.
Each school, organization, society, religion, culture, etc has its own distinct rules and social norms that govern their behaviors. The various culture within a given society has their own etiquette which can be quite challenging to people who are new to such a culture.
Fundamentally, etiquette prescribes and restricts the ways in which people interact with each other and show respect for other people by conforming to the norms of society. Modern etiquette instruct people to greet friends and acquaintances with warmth and respect, refrain from insult and prying curiosity, offer hospitality equally and generously to guests, wear clothing suited to the occasion, contribute to conversation without dominating them, offer assistance to those in need, eat neatly and quietly, avoid disturbing others with unnecessary noise, follow the established rules of an organization upon becoming a member, arrive promptly when expected, comfort the bereaved, and respond to invitation promptly among others.
Violation of etiquette, if severe can cause public disgrace, and in private, hurt individual feelings, create misunderstanding or real grief and pain, and van even escalate into a murderous rage. Many family feuds have their beginnings in trivial etiquette violations that were blown out of proportion. One can reasonably view etiquette as the minimal polite behavior required to avoid a major conflict in polite society, and as such, an important aspect of applied ethics.
Some individual may consider etiquette to be an unnecessary restriction of freedom of personal expression; others may consider such free spirits to be unmannerly and rude. Etiquette may be enforced in pragmatic ways; no shoes no shirt, no service is a notice commonly displayed outside stores, clubs, and cafes.