Everything Everywhere Daily: History, Science, Geography & More - Mos Maiorum and Unwritten Rules

Starting point is 00:00:00 Every day, whether or not you realize it, you are subject to a host of unwritten rules. These are rules that are not written down and are not part of any formal law, but they're fundamental to the functioning of any society. These unwritten and often unspoken rules differ from place to place and have changed over time, and there are even different unspoken rules for different groups that you might be a part of. These unwritten rules of behavior have been with us ever since the dawn of humanity. Learn more about the Moss Myorum. and the unwritten rules of society on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.

Starting point is 00:00:35 What if your perceptions about the past were wrong? ThruLine is a podcast that takes you back in time to uncover the parts of the story that may have gone unnoticed. It effectively turned day into night. And how it shaped the world now. Time travel with us every week on the ThruLine podcast from NPR. No matter where you live, you are. probably subject to a host of written laws. Most jurisdictions have laws at various levels of government that cover almost everything imaginable, the vast majority of which probably have nothing

Starting point is 00:01:26 to do with you on a daily basis. However, the things you do have to deal with on an everyday basis are actually rules that are not written down and are so common that we usually don't even think about it. These unwritten rules can be known by many names, including traditions, customs, manners, and etiquette. While they may not have the force of law, they can oftentimes be just as powerful. I want to start this discussion by going back to ancient Rome. And it isn't because Rome invented unwritten rules. They've actually existed since the beginning of humanity. It's because they documented many of the social rules in Rome,

Starting point is 00:02:04 and they had a robust legal system that existed alongside of it. The Roman system of unwritten rules was known as the Moss Majorum, which translates to ancient customs or the way of the ancients. These were the customs and traditions that govern daily life and interactions during the Roman Republic and Roman Empire. The Moss Majorum emphasized the importance of adhering to ancestral customs and traditions. The Romans believe that their society's success was directly linked to the following of the practices of their forefathers who were seen as wise and virtuous.

Starting point is 00:02:37 This continuity of tradition was seen as a stabilizing force in Roman society. the Moss Majorum acquired a deep respect for authority, particularly that of the family and state. This included reverence for the Potter Familius, the male head of the family, who had almost absolute power over his household, and for the state's magistrates and senators who were seen as the custodians of Rome's laws and traditions. Another core value was called pietas, or piety. It referred to the duty to the gods, the state, and one's family. This duty involved religious observance, participation in public rituals, and fulfilling one's obligation to family and society. A pious person was expected to uphold the Moss Majorum in every aspect of life.

Starting point is 00:03:22 The dual concepts of octoritas and dignitas are something I've covered in several previous episodes. These were intangible virtues that every Roman strive for and often killed and died for. Success in public life was often seen as accumulating these two virtues. While they were a driving force in Roman life, they were totally unwritten rules. The Mossmajoram extended to client-patron relationships, funerary practices, religious observances, and a host of other things. In the case of Rome, these unwritten rules could actually be pleaded in court, and they called it the Lex non-scripta or the law not written. I could spend hours talking about this topic, but this episode isn't about Roman history. These unwritten rules existed in every culture,

Starting point is 00:04:09 and society throughout human history. In fact, these unwritten rules were the primary drivers in most cultures. Many of the cultural norms in ancient China were very similar to those that developed in Rome. Filial piety was perhaps the most important unwritten rule in ancient Chinese culture. It emphasized respect, obedience, and care for one's parents and ancestors. Chinese society was hierarchical, with a strong emphasis on respecting those above you in the social order, whether in the family, workplace, or government. For example, younger family members were expected to defer to older ones, students to teachers, and subjects to rulers. This respect for hierarchy was deeply ingrained and influenced all social interactions, ensuring stability and order within society.

Starting point is 00:04:54 The Roman ideas of dignitas were reflected in the Chinese concept of face. The Roman client-patron relationships were reflected in the Chinese system known as Guangxi. In ancient China, as in modern times, Guangxi played a critical role. role in business, politics, and social life. People cultivated relationships that could help them advance in society or business, often involving a complex web of favors and obligations. Literally every society had these unwritten and sometimes even unspoken rules that everybody followed. You could say that the entire study of cultures involves the study of these rules. The British stiff upper lip, Japanese Bishito, or even the mafia's code of silence, are all examples of

Starting point is 00:05:37 unwritten rules that determine behavior. I mention these ancient examples to set up what I really want to talk about, the unwritten rules that we live under today. I want to start with one of the most powerful unwritten and usually unspoken rules that we all experience, which has to do with standing in a line or, as some of you might call it, cueing. Standing in a line is something we have to do all the time. It might be at a store, a restaurant, or even in a line to go to the bathroom. Wherever you stand in a line or a queue for something, there are implicit, unspoken rules that we all follow. So why do we stand in lines? Lines are a way to avoid chaos and a scrum of people all trying to get ahead of each other to get something.

Starting point is 00:06:23 It's a way to prevent the loudest or most aggressive person from gaining an advantage over everyone else. No one probably ever told you how to stand in a line, why we do it, or the rules involved with queuing. yet we all know them intuitively. One of the unspoken and unwritten rules about lines is that it's first come first serve. A line is one of the most egalitarian things that there is. It doesn't matter who you are. No one gets priority in a line before someone else unless there's some exceptional circumstance. And this leads to the biggest rule of standing in line.

Starting point is 00:06:59 No one can cut in front of someone else in a line. If you think about it, you almost never. never see that happen. I'm sure I've probably seen it at some point in my life, but it was years since I've seen it. Jumping in front of someone in a line will immediately earn the displeasure of everybody in the line, and it could result in an argument and possibly even a fight. The person who is serving the line might not even serve the person who jumped ahead. The reason why you almost never see people cutting in line in public places is because of the extreme social pressure against doing so. Yet, there is technically no law against it. You couldn't really call the

Starting point is 00:07:40 police if it happened, and even if they showed up, there would be nothing that they could do. Researchers call this spontaneous social order. No one dictated it, no one mandated it, and we don't even talk about it, but it's something we all intuitively do. Another example of this we all understand is our behavior in elevators. When you enter an elevator, it is expected that you You'll press the button for your floor if it hasn't been pressed already and then face the door. If you were to enter an elevator and face the other way, especially if the elevator wasn't crowded, you'd probably make everyone feel uncomfortable. Other cases of spontaneous social order can arise in certain circumstances.

Starting point is 00:08:21 The example I'd like to give you is that of parking dibs in the city of Chicago in the winter. If you've never driven a car in the winter, it can be difficult to find a parking spot on a city street. Plows come through to clear the street and in the process they pile up snow on the sides of the street where cars normally park. If you want to park, you will have to clear a space by hand. And if you take the time and effort to clear a parking space of snow, the last thing you want is for someone else to come in and benefit from your hard work. In Chicago, a system has spontaneously evolved where people can claim spots that they have cleared in the winter. They'll usually reserve their parking spot by putting something in the space, usually a folding

Starting point is 00:09:04 chair or some other object, to warn others that the spot has been claimed. Violating parking dibs is considered to be a serious social violation. While slashing someone's tires is probably going too far, dumping snow on their car, leaving a nasty note, or putting lunch meat on their windshield is probably fair game. Several Chicago mayors have acknowledged this system as a city tradition, but nothing is on the books about it. And if somebody takes your parking space, you have no legal recourse. But by the same token, if someone were to park in someone else's spot and something happened to their car, the police might not be very sympathetic to them. These unwritten rules can also apply in certain businesses and other environments.

Starting point is 00:09:49 Baseball is a game that has written rules to cover almost every possible eventuality that could happen in a game. But then there are a host of unwritten rules that players abide by. One of the unwritten rules is that you don't talk to a pitcher who is throwing a no-hitter. In the late endings of a game where there is a no-hitter being thrown, you will usually see the pitcher in the dugout by himself with none of his teammates around him. The big thing is that no-one is supposed to talk about the fact that a no-hitter is being thrown. Even announcers will often avoid mentioning the fact that, that there is a no-hitter in progress.

Starting point is 00:10:26 Instead of saying the term no-hitter, they will instead just keep reminding people there have been no hits through eight innings or something to that effect. Another unwritten rule in baseball is that you don't gloat or take your time going around the bases after you hit a home run. You also shouldn't crowd the plate or steal bases

Starting point is 00:10:45 or swing on a three-and-o count when you have a big lead. These unwritten rules can actually have consequences. Ever since baseball began, pitchers have been throwing what is known as a purpose pitch or a brushback. This is throwing the ball directly at the batter, either in retaliation for something they did or as a warning to the batter. Some pitchers have kept grudges for years based on perceived slights. In 1979, Ed Farmer was pitching for the Texas Rangers, and he gave up a home run to Wayne Gross, who was playing for the Oakland A's. Farmer thought that Gross had taken too much time around

Starting point is 00:11:23 the bases, and it angered him. It was four years until Farmer was able to pitch to Gross again. This time, however, they were on the same team, and it was during batting practice. Nonetheless, Farmer hadn't forgotten and hit Gross with a pitch. But perhaps the ultimate case had to do with the great pitcher Bob Gibson. Gibson was well known for throwing at batters to keep him in line. In Gibson's last Major League game, in his last end, he gave up a grand slam home run to Pete Lecoq, who, fun fact, is the son of Peter Marshall, the former host of the Hollywood Squares.

Starting point is 00:12:03 It was the only grand slam that Lecoq ever hit in his career. And as Gibson retired, he never had a chance to get payback. That was until 10 years later when both players played an exhibition old-timers game. Gibson used the opportunity to hit Lecoq with the pitch a decade after. the fact. When Gibson was asked about the incident by sportscaster Bob Costas, he simply said, quote, the books had to be balanced. These unwritten laws are so pervasive in every society that we often don't even realize that they exist. And while they may not have the force of written law, they're oftentimes more powerful in shaping cultures and societies. The executive producer of

Starting point is 00:12:52 Everything Everywhere Daily is Charles Daniel. The associate producers are Benji Long and Cameron Kiever. I want to give a big shout out to everyone who supports the show over on Patreon, including the show's producers. Your support helps me put out a show every single day. And also, Patreon is currently the only place where Everything Everywhere or daily merchandise is available to the top tier of supporters. If you'd like to talk to other listeners of the show and members of the Completionist Club, you can join the Everything Everywhere Daily Facebook group or Discord server. Links to everything are in the show notes.

Everything Everywhere Daily: History, Science, Geography & More - Mos Maiorum and Unwritten Rules

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