Whatever has happened to manners

[Silent Raven]

i was raised with chivalry and manners such as your self, even for being born in 1985. my parents raised me that way, and scouts no doubt helped to secure those virtues in place. i always give my seat to elders, hold doors and even say please and thank you, as well as excuse me. but you are right in the fact that you just dont see it much any more with the newer generations. a friend of mine says that "chivalry towards women, died when they became equals to men (ie right to vote, etc)" not sure i concur with this thought but its does in some ways make sense.

[Chas]

The older I get, the less I understand.

Should we be blaming our children's generation for their lack of respect? Or should we blame our generation for not doing its job properly? Or should we blame our parent's generation for not instilling in us values that we want to pass on?

Or maybe it is none of these and there is an outside influence which we can neither discern nor control, which is thwarting our hopes and aspirations.

Or is that just a cop-out. After all that is only one step away from blaming it all on black magic or aliens.

Maybe our job is to continually provide a good example for those around us. Maybe our job is not done till the next generation realise that it is their job to provide an example.

Regards

Chas

[Jock Scot]

Maybe our job is to continually provide a good example for those around us.



Chas

The trouble, I fear, is that not enough of us are providing good examples for those around us to follow.

[Phil]

Manners and civility are what make it possible to live in today's crowded societies. When they break down the symptoms are only too evident - road rage, supermarket trolly rage not to mention a whole raft of more damaging anti-social activities. It is no longer possible to reprimand young people for such behaviour - you are likely to find an irate parent on your doorstep or worse, police with an arrest warrant! Yesterday while out driving I encountered three young girls cavorting on the roadway close to passing vehicles, quite heedless of the danger they were in. No sane person would dare to stop and speak to them for fear of retaliation or worse from their parents or police - and the children know it. I have asked a young person if they had bought a ticket for the rucksack occupying the only vacant seat beside them on a bus without reaction before moving it myself. Shortly after I was the only person on that crowded bus to give up their seat to an elderly lady.
I have to say that manners and behaviour have to be instilled into a child at an early age but that child, when an adult, has a huge headstart in life over its less favoured peers who have never learned such niceties as civilised eating habits and polite social behaviour. Once learned they can fit into any social circle, without them they will always be pariahs and exhibit their resentment of this by their behaviour.

[saxandpipes]

The trouble, I fear, is that not enough of us are providing good examples for those around us to follow.

This may also be true. I had the experience once of waiting, holding the door as one of my university lecturers approached. He passed through without the slightest acknowledgement. Oh well.

Cheers,

Michael