I have been reflecting on how we have managed to lose our sense of courtesy and good manners over the years. As a child, we were always being reminded by parents and teachers of the simple common courtesies of saying thank you and please. It became an automatic response whenever they were required. I can't say that it is the habitual practice of a lot of younger people today.
Very often requests for anything are not followed by a polite, "please." Even older children and young adults often need to be reminded to use the magic word. A kind of sad commentary! Good manners are also often more of a surprise than a regular occurrence. Do parents not insist on courtesy and manners? Do teachers not demand it in our schools? Why have we lost those two admirable qualities?
Again, in days of yore, if we received a birthday or Christmas gift from someone out of town, it was an automatic expectation that we send a thank-you note or card to acknowledge the gift. When was the last time you received a thank-you card for a present that you gave to someone?In today’s high tech world how hard would it be to write a brief email or make a phone call or a FaceTime hello?
Have we become more of a society that does not stress courtesy and good manners or have we just become too lazy to teach them to our children? Are we raising generations of young people who feel entitled and feel no need to acknowledge thanks? I don't know the answer, but it does bother me.
As a life lesson, I know that I place a high value on practicing courtesy and maintaining good manners when I deal with others. I would be very much happier if a lot more individuals felt and acted the same way!
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