By age sixteen, George Washington had copied out by hand, 110 Rules of Civility & Decent Behavior in Company and Conversation. They are based on a set of rules composed by French Jesuits in 1595. Presumably they were copied out as part of an exercise in penmanship assigned by young Washington’s schoolmaster. The first English translation of the French rules appeared in 1640, and are ascribed to Francis Hawkins the twelve-year-old son of a doctor.
While many of these rules may seem silly today I found most of them could easily be reworded slightly to apply to conversations and interactions on Facebook and other social media. A few need not be changed hardly at all if any.
Here are the updated, “social media,” rules.
| 1st | Every post ought to be with some sign of respect, to those that may read it. |
| 2nd | When posting, post not photos of any part of the body, not usually discovered. |
| 3rd | Share nothing with your friends that may affright them. |
| 7th | Put not off your cloths in the posts online. |
| 8th | No matter the post it’s good manners to give place to the last commenter, and affect not to “speak louder” to them than ordinary. |
| 17th | Be no flatterer, neither engage with any that delights not to be engaged with. |
| 18th | Read no posts nor check your phone in company but when there is a necessity for the doing of it you must ask leave: come not near the phone of another so as to read them unless desired or give your opinion of them unasked also look not nigh when another is writing a post. |
| 19th | Let your comments be pleasant but in serious matters somewhat grave. |
| 20th | The emoticons you post must be suited to the discourse you are commenting on. |
| 21st | Reproach none for the infirmities of nature, nor delight to put them that have in mind thereof. |
| 22nd | Show not yourself glad at the misfortune of another though he were your enemy. |
| 23rd | When you see a crime punished, you may be inwardly pleased; but always show pity to the suffering offender. |
| 24th | Do not laugh too loud or too much at any public spectacle. |
| 25th | Superfluous complements and comments are to be avoided, yet where due they are not to be neglected. |
| 34th | It is good manners to prefer them to whom we speak before ourselves. |
| 35th | Let your comments on Facebook pages of business be short and comprehensive. |
| 38th | In commenting to people who are sick or posting about their health or the health of a loved one, do not presently play the physician if you be not knowing therein. |
| 39th | In commenting, give to every person his due title according to his degree & the custom of the place. |
| 40th | Strive not with your superiors in argument, but always submit your judgment to others with modesty. |
| 41st | Undertake not to teach your equal in the art himself professes; it savours of arrogance. |
| 42nd | Let thy comments in courtesy be proper to the dignity of the person’s post your commenting for it is absurd to act the same with a clown and a prince. |
| 43rd | Do not express joy before one sick or in pain for that contrary passion will aggravate his misery. |
| 44th | When a man does all he can though it succeeds not well blame not him that did it. |
| 45th | Being to advise or reprehend any one, consider whether it ought to be in public comment or in private message; presently, or at some other time in what terms to do it & in reproving show no sign of cholar but do it with all sweetness and mildness. |
| 46th | Take all admonitions thankfully in what time or place soever given but afterwards not being culpable take a time & place convenient to let him him know it that gave them. |
| 47th | Mock not nor jest at any thing of importance break no jest that are sharp biting and if you deliver any thing witty and pleasant abstain from posting an LOL emoticon thereat yourself. |
| 48th | Wherein you reprove another in a comment or post be unblameable yourself; for example is more prevalent than precepts. |
| 49th | Use no reproachful language against any one neither curse nor revile. |
| 50th | Be not hasty to believe flying reports to the disparagement of any. |
| 52nd | In your profile photos be modest and endeavor to accommodate nature. |
| 56th | Friend people of good quality if you esteem your own reputation; for ‘is better to be alone than have a lot of drama. |
| 58th | Let your posts and comments be without malice or envy, for ‘is a sign of a tractable and commendable nature: and in all causes of passion admit reason to govern. |
| 59th | Never express anything unbecoming, nor act against the rules moral before your inferiors. |
| 60th | Be not immodest in urging your friends to discover a secret. |
| 61st | Post not base and frivolous things amongst grave and learned men nor very difficult questions or subjects, among the ignorant or things hard to be believed. |
| 62nd | Post not of doleful things in a time of mirth; post not of melancholy things as death and wounds, and if others mention them change if you can the course of the comments. |
| 64th | Don’t comment with a jest where none take pleasure in mirth laugh not aloud, nor at all without occasion, deride no mans misfortune, though there seem to be some cause. |
| 65th | Post not injurious words neither in jest nor earnest scoff at none although they give occasion. |
| 66th | Be not froward but friendly and courteous; the first to salute hear and answer & be not pensive when it’s a time to converse. |
| 67th | Detract not from others neither be excessive in commanding. |
| 68th | Do not comment, where you know not, whether you shall be welcome or not. Give not advice without being asked & when desired do it briefly. |
| 69th | If two contend together take not the part of either unconstrained; and be not obstinate in your own opinion, in things indifferent be of the major side. |
| 70th | Reprehend not the imperfections of others for that belongs to parents masters and superiors. |
| 71st | Gaze not on the marks or blemishes of others posted pictures and ask not how they came. What you may speak in secret to your friend deliver not before others. |
| 73rd | Think before you comment not imperfectly nor bring out your comments too hastily but orderly & distinctly. |
| 74th | When another comments or posts be attentive your self and disturb not the audience if any hesitate in his words help him not nor prompt him without desired. |
| 79th | Be not apt to repost news if you know not the truth thereof. In posting of things you have heard name not your author always a secret discover not. |
| 80th | Be not tedious in comments or in reading unless you find the company pleased therewith. |
| 81st | Be not curious to know the affairs of others neither approach those that speak in private. |
| 82nd | Undertake not what you cannot perform but be careful to keep your promise. |
| 88th | Be not tedious in comments, make not many digressions, nor repeat often the same manner of comment. |
| 108th | When you speak of God or his attributes, let it be seriously & with reverence. Honor & obey your natural parents although they be poor. |
| 109th | Let your reposts be manful not sinful. |
| 110th | Labor to keep alive in your breast that little spark of celestial fire called conscience. |
