In our house, we say please and thank you.
It might sound simple, but those six words are household rules even when we’re talking to Alexa. And since Alexa lives everywhere in our home: the kitchen, the bedrooms, the entry; that means she’s part of our daily rhythm.
Honestly, it’s kind of amazing, impressive, and frightening. My kids are highly verbal because they learned early on how to ask Alexa for what they need: music, stories, games, fart songs, you name it. They understand how to communicate with technology better than I was able to talk to most adults at the same age.
But in our house, there are two non-negotiables when it comes to technology: 1) People before tech and 2) Have good manners.
If you want something, even from Alexa, you ask nicely for it. You say please and thank you.
Because it doesn’t matter if you’re talking to family, a neighbor, a stranger, or a digital assistant, manners matter. I don’t want my kids growing up thinking that just because something isn’t human, basic decency doesn’t apply. Asking nicely is about more than being polite, it’s about remembering that how we interact with the world says something about who we are.
That idea of staying grounded as a human and being humanity first is what keeps me centered. And honestly, it’s what reconnected me to politics a few years back. In 2019, I found myself frustrated with how cold, transactional and hopeless everything felt, like people had become secondary to systems. That’s what drew me into the movement that gave us Humanity First (those who know, know). It wasn’t about labels or sides; it was about putting people, their well-being, health, and future back at the center of everything. Not blaming people who don’t look or speak like you, but instead assessing the impact that technology and automation are having on the hollowing out of America.
And from that first Humanity First movement, I rode the wave to the Texas Forward Party, which still embodies that same value, putting people first. It’s not about fighting against the left or right. It’s about building something better, together. Putting people (and communities) first.
If we want a better world, we can’t forget our manners. Whether it’s online, at work, in our neighborhoods, or yes, even when talking to our AI assistants, showing a little grace and tolerance never hurts.
And who knows, maybe one day, when our future digital overlords are deciding who to keep around, they’ll remember the households that said please and thank you.
Humanity first. Manners included.
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