Is etiquette no longer taught?

It's really sad how so many parents are complete failures when it comes to teaching their children etiquette. I'm a pretty laid back person, but there's something about bad etiquette that makes my skin crawl.

I've seen very pregnant women & seniors hanging on and struggling to keep from falling over on the city trains while every person nearby who's sitting down stares at their shoes to avoid eye contact with them.

I've had men drop doors in my face when entering public buildings, I'm not even shocked anymore when I step onto a train or into a building and get hit with an overwhelming stench of urine from drunken slobs hanging out vomiting and peeing all over themselves.

And then there are those dates where you are out at a nice venue having an amazing meal & your date is hunched over the table elbows deep in his meal, using his phone, or suddenly getting up to take a washroom break leaving you to have to put your utensils down & sit there waiting for him to return so you can finish your meal together.

I could go on for a while with this topic...

All I can say is if there are any moms out there reading this - Please raise your kids right!

Most young people in my city give up their seats.

With table manners I've noticed that it has become more of a "public" thing. I personally think it's alright... my friends and I (we're all between 19 and 20 years old) usually eat with normal manners in public places, but when we hang out at somebodies house or in a very casual place we all put comfort before etiquette. Things may have loosened up in this way...

I guess the same thing goes for wearing hats. Since I'm not religious and don't go to any churches I don't know anything about that but taking a hat off inside a building might have become dated or not as important. Habits and manners and such change in the course of time and if the majority of people doesn't mind I suppose it's okay and etiquette has adjusted to a change of mind.

Etiquette isn't taught in schools where I come from, except maybe for the top notch, elite private schools. That leaves it up to the parents. Unfortunately, many parents either don't care, don't have the time (pardon me, I mean don't bother to MAKE the time), or weren't brought up to have decent manners themselves. At the risk of sounding like one of those old fogies ("back in the good old days...") I do believe the problem grows worse with every year and every generation.

Add to that the rampant sense of entitlement nowadays, especially among the young, and you get something rather repellent.

I wish people would remember that "parent" is also a verb.

<edit> I admit that I have horrid table manners in my own home with only my own family and closest friends. But in public it's a whole different ball game.

Well basic table manners were always taught to me as a working class girl in the fifties. No talking with your mouth full. No Elbows on table,, lay knife and fork down between mouthfuls, ask to leave the table if you have finished. Giving up seat on bus, I have seen people take up a seat with their bag, before asked to offer it now, The hat thing is well out moded, before my time dearie.But the no please and thank you I have seen on USA filnms and I do not like it. I attribute the British rudeness to the US infuence Always say please and thankyou no matter how small the favour, even holding a door open. With you totally on these sentiments.

A lot of those things are being taught, or should be taught, by the parents but nowadays, a lot of parents are out at work and raising child via the child minder.

I have problems with adults who don't say thank you when we move out their way etc and have to explain to our children that adults don't have manners and yes, they should have said thank you.

KD