Windows 7: Are good manners and chivalry dead?

As a youngster a good many years ago I was taught that chivalry and good manners were signs of a good upbringing.

I stand up when a lady enters the room or joins the table in a restaurant, I gladly hold a door open for the fairer sex and I will not hesitate to give up my seat on the bus to someone who obviously needs it more than I do, but two things have happened this week to make me question whether chivalry and manners are indeed on the wane.

In the first, I asked a young woman to take her dirty shoes off the seat so that I could sit down when I got on a bus and received a load of foul-mouthed abuse for my pains. I've never hit a woman yet, but I came mighty close that time.

In the second, I held a shop door open for a young lady behind me who lambasted me for patronising her.

Am I wrong in thinking the way I do or do our women prefer good manners and politeness?

My wife thinks I'm being too sensitive to others, but I happen to believe that a civilised society is measured by the way its citizens treat each other, so come on ladies, am I right or am I just an old Luddite who's wasting his breath?

Andy, do what you think equitable, and dont expect anything in return .

Personally I dont give any privilege to the women when I deal with them, coz I found them as good as me , in all respects . Even they are not physically weak nowadays, too . I also noticed that they mostly dont like chivalry .... and about good manners, it varies person to person , based on family background, education, association, etc many variables

Well, I am talking about ladies of my generation

It certainly is on the decline. However, I find that I do things similar to you. I hold doors open (but I do this for men, women and children). I've never experienced a woman yelling at me for patronizing her though...guess i have been lucky.

I will let a person go ahead of me in the grocery store if they have just a few items. I shovel the sidewalks for my neighbors when it snows and I am the first one out in the morning. And I will gladly give up my seat to another person if people are standing.

As a lady, I must say that I regard it as a sign of very poor manners if the door is not held open (especially if I'm carrying a tall stack of books or have both hands occupied, which often happens) or if someone places their dirty shoes on the seat - that's disgusting and anti-social.
Whether guy or gal - a display of antisocial behaviour is a sign of lacking respect...and courtesy certainly seems to be dying a painful death where especially the younger generation is concerned :-/

I think manners are on the decline.

As far as me personally, I'll hold the door for anyone if they're within a few steps. If someone lambasted me for actually holding a door for them, I would just walk away, but for a split second I'd think about what it would feel like to slam the door on them.

The young woman on the bus that seavixen32 mentions, if I had been in that situation I would certainly have been tempted to give her a piece of my mind in equivalent language. Would I have actually done it? Probably not.....depends on how far she had gone. I do think of myself as a nice guy, after all.

Just my $0.02....

I personally see equality as a two way street. My attitude is very much, I will not treat a woman any differently than I would treat a man. You can't pick and choose which bits you want, its all or nothing in my book.

Having said that, I will personally open the door for anyone if they are close enough, I wouldn't get up to open a door for a woman, but if I am going through the door, and they are behind me, or have their hands full, then I would hold it, just like I would for anyone else.

Certainly, I think chivalry is, or at least should be dead. Manners on the other hand, are a different story. If someone gives me an earful for holding a door for them, I would just turn around and say "Well fine, next time I'll let it slam in your face" and walk away.

My Father always taught me to let the man go through the door first ,Just in case there is anything nasty lurking behind it

Pebbly - you're too much!