How To Observe Morals And Manners Book

In How to Observe: Morals and Manners, Martineau sets out to write a guide for the well-intentioned traveler, and in doing so sheds light on her understanding of human nature and society. While she does give practical advice on how a good traveler should behave, such as walking as opposed to other forms of travel like carriage, or learning the native language, the book appears to stress something that might not be readily teachable. To be a good observer, one must be able to sympathize with the observed. The observer must be able to recognize the shared connection of humanity between one another, and only then will the observer have a better understanding of what is. Martineau makes a great point, one that I don't think many would argue against, but it does bring in to question, how does one really know if they are truly sympathetic? Overall, the importance of cultural relativism is stressed throughout, with consistent appeals to humanity, an important message in the global age. Further, Martineau makes an interesting connection between morals and manners, in that they are inherently tied to one another. I understand this to represent a duality between the internal and external. While, morals are an individuals' internal value system, manners are the external behaviors representing this system. When manners are separated from morals, they have no meaning, and observation of manners only, means nothing. Thus, I believe here, Martineau calls for all observers to dig deeper; what is happening on the surface means nothing if one does not sympathetically observe the greater meaning behind these actions.