Regarding this post:
I was informed that it is quite common for people to be asked by their host to remove their shoes when they enter. I didn't know that. It never happned to me before that story and hasn't happened since.
One beloved friend whom I greatly value opined that there is no affront to human dignity in making such a request. Maybe I am wrong, but consider the following scenario....
You have a meeting with Jeff Bezos. Yes, THE Jeff Bezos of Amazon whose estimated worth is 105 ... billion. He wants to talk about a contract between you and Amazon that will net you tens millions a year. GOOOOODBYE MORTGAGE - HELLO FIVE NEW CONDOS IN FLORIDA, YACHTS, A FEW NEW CARS and MUCH MUCH MORE.
The meeting is at YOUR HOUSE. Whoa. EXCIIITIINGGGGGG:-). You get the house ready. You make sure that everything is TIP TOP!!
He knocks on the door and you anxiously open it up and greet him with a huuuuge smile.
"WELCOME MR. BEZOS!!!"
But wait. You notice that he is wearing SHOES. Oh no. You just spent all that time cleaning the floor and now he is going to to step on it with the very same shoes that had earlier stepped on the sidewalk.
Do you say "Ahhh - Mr. Bezos, would you mind removing your shoes. We are trying to keep the floor nice and sparkling clean. Besides, I want to see how fancy the socks of the richest man on earth are"?
If you would - then by all means, tell all of your visitors that. If you wouldn't then don't tell them either. Why is making Mr. Bezos feel welcome and comfortable any more important than any other person?? The reason we wouldn't tell him to remove his shoes is because we value not him but his money.... I believe people have more dignity even than money.
Scenario number 2: You REALLY like this girl. "Like" isn't the word. Infatuated. Smitten. Obsessed. Dopamain, oxytocin and other feel-good chemicals flood your brain when you just THINK about her. You know that she will make you forever happy if she just agrees to marry you [didn't we all think that about our wives?].
Finally, finally, finally, she agrees to come to your house to meet your parents. But when the appointed time comes you realize that she is wearing ... shoes. Uh oh.
Do you ask her to remove them? Why not??
Maybe I am wrong but I am sure that this is something to think about. Not only because of the shoes question which is more minor but because of the general question of how much respect we accord people.
