[SteveZ]

Chivalry is an evaporating concept. The fact that it is evaporating is not unexpected when one considers how different the relationship between the genders is now versus not that many years ago.

Today's kids live in a different world that the one I grew up in. Years ago the idea of a fully co-ed military (field maneuvers tend to eliminate courtesy) was unthinkable - now it's fact, as the casualty roles over the last decade have shown. In the schools, the language used by male and female students is equally bad, especially to each other - and how they address teachers is abominable. In the work world, equal pay for equal work is a just policy, but it also brings with it equal treatment among the workforce population (when was the last time you saw a guy open a door for another guy?). There used to be no "competition" between the genders, but now it is routine and expected, and sometimes bloodthirsty.

Is that an excuse for bad manners? No. But the gentility that used to exist in society is fast disappearing, and it has had an effect on manners in general.

That to me is one of the best aspects of TV. Courtesy still exists here, and the good manners displayed by all of our generations (50+ to 99+) is night-and-day to what is seen elsewhere. Hopefully, we can still be a decent example to those who visit TV, especially the kids/grandkids/etc on how to act and react with others.