John Phillips
Com 111 – 001
Dr. Etzel
12/10/08

	Resulting from the pain and confusion caused by the rules of standard American etiquette, many Americans seek change. Surrendering to the sociological impossibility of changing the rules in American society, these Americans, stigmatized by their inability to maintain the rules of etiquette, have decided to form a society of their own. The “etiquette reformers”, as they’re called, do recognize the importance of etiquette, as a means of generating expected behaviors, and smoothing out everyday interactions between people in society. They feel, however that it has become an over-developed system, yielding far more than simple smooth operation.
	For starters, it is felt that etiquette is not so much a tool of predictability anymore, but rather a means to demonstrate sophistication. The now legalistic “code of laws” as it would seem, extends far beyond purposes of social operation, and into the depths of behavioral oversight. For this reason the etiquette reformers have chosen to target primarily the legalistic qualities of etiquette, keeping in mind its original intentions. This restructured style of etiquette will be based primarily on practicality, following the notion that a system one can understand might actually be followed.
	There is a simple guideline which can be used in determining which rules of etiquette are to be kept. If a particular behavior must be largely questioned as to whether or not it should be forbidden by the rules of etiquette, then said behavior will not be applied to the rules of etiquette. The principle is that etiquette should not be a long code of laws which must be learned and memorized. No specific set of rules could apply to all aspects of life, as life is never concrete enough for this. The goal of etiquette has been redefined in a sense, with a decrease in context. While modern etiquette seeks to