By Camilla Sarra. Cover image FreePik
Let’s forget silver cutlery and royal bows for a moment: etiquette lives elsewhere. It’s in the way we answer emails, in the split-second replies we fire off in chat conversations, in the first dates where we try desperately to be “spontaneous” without sliding into awkwardness, in the conversations that collide over an aperitivo while someone inevitably checks their phone. Today, in a world where everything moves fast and relationships unfold through screens and distractions, good manners have become a crucial language—not because they make us “perfect,” but because they help us live better together.
Mastering Digital Etiquette: How Camilla Da Rocha Turns Everyday Gestures into Social Skills
Good manners are not an affectation, but a subtle art that teaches us to care for ourselves and for others, turning every gesture into an act of intelligence and grace. This is brilliantly illustrated by Camilla Da Rocha, who in her book Galateo contemporaneo (Gribaudo Editore), enriched with illustrations by Giada Maestra and informed by her training at the International Etiquette and Protocol Academy of London, shows that etiquette—when alive and flexible—is far more than a list of prescribed rules. It is a tool for improving the quality of our lives, refining our relational sensitivity, and restoring harmony to the spaces we move through daily, whether a Michelin-starred restaurant or a chaotic group chat.
From navigating a work event with confidence to handling a breakup with dignity, from approaching a first date with grace to writing an assertive email without resorting to caps lock, Da Rocha guides the reader through a thoughtful, practical journey that brings human connection back to the center of everything.
The Science of Communication: Connect Smoothly, No Awkwardness
At the heart of her thinking is a powerful idea: etiquette is a “science of communication,” a relational competence rather than a performance. It isn’t meant to impress, but to ensure the person in front of us never feels uncomfortable. It creates a shared space where conversation can flow without friction. It is a form of presence, a way of saying “I see you, and I respect you,” something surprisingly rare in our hyperstimulated lives.
Awareness as the New Etiquette: How Slowing Down Transforms Your Digital Interactions
This is why good manners today are so deeply tied to awareness. We live in a world interrupted by notifications, rushed replies, and digital habits that often distance us from the people right in front of us. Awareness asks us to slow down for a moment, to truly listen, to look around. It’s more a mindset than a behavior— the opposite of automaticity. And when we cultivate it, it transforms the way we interact with everyone: colleagues, baristas, friends, even strangers we share a fleeting moment with.
This awareness is especially essential in our closest relationships. Family and friends often witness our least polished selves: we assume love grants us total freedom, and in doing so, we forget that respect should grow—not shrink—with intimacy. The relationships that matter most are also the most delicate, and they require constant care. We cannot take for granted the people who love us; good manners, here, become an act of protection—of them and of ourselves.
Digital Etiquette in Dating: How Kindness Makes You Stand Out
The same applies to romantic relationships. In a time when you can meet someone on an app and end things with a two-line message, social etiquette has become surprisingly relevant. Not to formalize romance, but to remind us that spontaneity doesn’t excuse everything—and that kindness is still irresistible. Presenting the best version of ourselves is not artificial; it’s a sign of respect and attentiveness. In a dating landscape often marked by speed and superficiality, standing out with elegance is a genuine social skill.
Workplaces as the Stage for Essential Soft Skills
This ability is even more crucial in the workplace. Today’s professional environments are informal, collaborative, and often friendly across hierarchies. Yet informality does not abolish respect. There is a subtle but real line between a relaxed atmosphere and unprofessional behavior, and recognizing it is essential for navigating modern work life intelligently. Good manners in the office aren’t about hierarchy—they are about efficiency. They make communication clearer, teamwork smoother, and shared spaces more pleasant.
Social life has changed radically, yet it still relies on timeless principles: warmth, discretion, and the ability to avoid making others uncomfortable. A dinner party, a crowded event, an informal gathering, or a family reunion all become scenes where our capacity to make others feel at ease reveals who we truly are. The formats evolve, but the essence of elegance endures: the quiet skill of helping others feel they belong.
Travel and Etiquette: How Manners Matter in Public Spaces
This skill becomes even more evident when we travel. Sharing spaces with strangers, respecting unspoken rules, managing our presence thoughtfully—these moments reveal our truest social ethics. It is on trains, in airport lines, in hotel corridors that our manners show themselves most clearly, precisely because no bond obliges us to be kind.
In special moments—weddings, celebrations, births, losses—etiquette reveals its deepest meaning. It is not a rigid script but a way of caring for others and for ourselves. It helps us be present without overwhelming, elegant without ostentation, sensitive without fragility. It brings harmony to moments when emotions run high.
Contemporary Etiquette as a Superpower: Self-Branding Through Social Awareness
In a world that rewards speed, immediacy, and constant reaction, contemporary etiquette feels almost revolutionary: an invitation to return to humanity. It doesn’t impose a style; it offers a direction. It doesn’t demand perfection; it cultivates awareness. And it doesn’t merely tell us how to behave—it helps us understand why it matters.
It is the most subtle and authentic form of gentle self-branding, a way of telling the world who we are through gestures that speak louder than words.
