There is much competition for jobs today. And the deciding factor in being hired can be education and social skills. There is much discussion about education but little talk about how to acquire social skills.
In the 1700's, a Scottish intellectual, Lord Shaftesbury, raised "politeness" to the top of the list of human virtues. He described "politeness" as "... a polishing and refining of the self through friendly social interaction with others...All politeness is owing to Liberty. We polish one another, and rub off our Corners and rough Sides by a sort of amicable Collision. To restrain this, is inevitably to bring a Rust upon Men's understanding. 'Tis a destroying of Civility, Good Breeding, and even Charity itself..." Dinnertime is the perfect setting to sharpen our minds by listening, interacting and talking about the events of the day and thus teach and learn needed social skills. No social skills can be picked up watching the TV or playing video games during the meal. Dinnertime teaches us about obligations to others- planning, shopping, cooking, coming up with new healthy creations, and cleaning up. Lord Shaftesbury believed we served others, not because we had to, but because we felt a "sense of well-being and pleasure" by helping and serving others. "Man was born to be with others, and born to make their lives more pleasant." What better place to be with others than at dinnertime and what a way to make our lives more pleasant, polite, and polished- 3 P's. So dinnertime could reinvent the modern world by raising up employees with the 3 P's. What employer could resist such a worker?
