By Anna Caudill, Editor-in-Chief
I’ve been trained to use my yes ma’ams and yes sirs since before I can remember. I have to keep myself from cringing when I hear a classmate respond to a teacher with “yeah” or “huh?” I consider myself blessed to have been raised with proper Southern manners, and perhaps that’s why it pains me so much to have experienced an utter lack of any social graces whatsoever among my generation.
Call me prudish, call me a snob, but I have no shame in my yes ma’ams and sirs, my ingrained instinct to put my napkin in my lap, my desire for face-to-face conversations, and my respect for simple manners and old-fashioned graces.
Txtng just doesn’t cut it
A startling majority of my generation has an unhealthy dependence on texting, Snapchat and other forms of social media for daily communication. Gone are the days of having to call your friend on the home phone if you needed her after school. In fact, phone calls in general are on the decline, as many teens admit to responding to a missed call with a text along the lines of “sorry I missed your call, what’s up?”
The personal conversation is being replaced by texts, often containing exchanges that would never occur face to face. It’s sad, really. I’d much rather talk with a friend in person, or even over the phone, when my words come straight from my mouth rather than in abbreviated form from my thumbs.
Please, Mr. Postman
Also on the decline in my generation is snail mail. Yes, I get that email and other technological correspondence is faster and more efficient, but who doesn’t get excited when they see a personally addressed letter in the stack of mail? Blame my six summers at camp, but honestly I love letters – writing them, reading them, feeling the satisfaction of sealing the envelope and pulling the flag up on the mailbox.
Also, a staple snail mail article on the decline is the thank-you note. Teens and kids these days don’t understand the value adults find in a genuine note of thanks, whether for a Christmas present, letter of recommendation, or special favor. The fact that future generations might not even comprehend the idea of a handwritten, personal note being sent between people through the mail depresses me, and I know for a fact that my children will be sending thank-you notes to grandparents and letters to camp friends, even if the practice has been lost among their peers.
Chivalry: the endangered species
It is my personal belief that there is a higher success rate in finding a mate among males who practice gentlemanly behavior from a young age (opening doors, taking coats, pulling back chairs, etc.) As the saying goes, “chivalry is dead,” but there are a few lone survivors who understand the value in being a proper gentleman.
This isn’t limited to guys, however, as ladylike behavior, while blatantly polarized by today’s “dances” (if you can even call them that), is an extremely beneficial trait to carry even though it is being diminished by the looser, if not nonexistent, social behavioral standards of today. I value simple graces between the sexes and more of my generation should, too.
Ladies, if he won’t give you his coat when you are cold, or he expects you to hold the door for him, don’t give him the time of day. And guys, trust me: If you revive chivalry, your level of attractiveness will go through the roof.