Why is it that walking around the city shirtless is so offensive? If it's because seeing a potentially ugly sweaty persons torso in the city is physically or mentally scaring to some degree, then it should also be culturally taboo to do it at the beach.
Why is it that we can't eat with our hands at a restaurant? If it's because the sight of someone eating with their hands is disgusting to you, then it should also be culturally taboo to do it at the beach.
Why is it that we all feel the subtle pressure not to run while on a deserted pedestrian walkway? If it's because it's too dangerous or causes too much congestion, then it should also be culturally taboo to run on a crowded beach.
The reason we act in certain ways isn't entirely for practical reasons. Humans have evolved to conform to accepted norms - and those norms evolve over time as well due to environmental and social factors. The real reason we don't do the things I mentioned above is mostly because 1) Accessorizing through clothing has historically been a sign of wealth and success 2) Eating with cutlery is hygienic and 3) Running through streets has historically been associated with childish or criminal activity.
It frustrates me that people defend these arbitrary cultural norms by lazily labeling any other way of acting "impolite". But why is it impolite? It's not for practical reasons, it's because people subconsciously learn to mimic a behavior observed in certain places at certain times. Saying that "it's just polite" is a really circular argument.
I feel like I'm going crazy just watching humans march around like ants obeying arbitrary cultural norms. So I thought I'd mock this idea by creating a 'cultural rulebook'. Here it is.
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