When I was in America I didn’t mind “have a nice day”. They have a different ethic there, a different mythology. I think the well-wishing makes the fact that their society is more competitive and aggressive in the way it does business easier to bear. It may just be surface but it reflects a deeper psychology.

The surface thing for us (Brits) is altogether more austere. Our structures are historically class-ridden and quick to put people in their place. In the past politeness and courtesy were maintained with a clear understanding of where one stood in the hierarchy. With the demise of class and the rise of self, common civility is now in decline. People jostle for position with little regard for the other.

This means that as we import America’s aggressive ways for business and move toward a dominant consumerism we impose them on a social fabric devoid of cordiality. This is not a good thing and is one reason why American methods can’t be adopted wholesale in other places as the absolute model without adjustment.