Opening a door to what we've forgotten

I've been reading a book over the past couple of weeks called "How to be a Gentleman: a contemporary guide to common courtesy." It's an interesting guide to the most affective way of being polite and well-recieved in company. Little things like "a gentleman never carries his cell phone into a movie theater. If he has no choice but to take it in than he certainly does not allow it disrupt the show;" "a gentleman says excuse me if he must inconvience someone by stepping over them;" "if a gentleman is walking his dog, he takes responsibility for his dog's poop."

Yes the little things seem trivial. And it would obviously be easier on us if we simply over-looked them. But it is that little extra effort that seperates the good men from the assholes. We all get annoyed by the person in the theater who talks on their cell phone. We all get annoyed by the person who turns suddenly without using their blinker. So why be that person? These are not rules, they are not required nor should they be. Because a gentleman would want to make sure that he does not put anyone off because doing so would be putting himself off as well.

Chivalry is not dead, it is simply forgotten. It is part of an ancient language comprimised for express lanes, cell phones, personal data machine and drive-through coffee. Yes, chivalry takes more time. Yes, doing what is right can sometimes be an inconvience or even difficult. I am not a saint, I have made a right-hand turn without signaling. I have carried on a conversation on a cell phone while in a checkout line. No one is perfect, but I would optimistically think that we all have some common sense (at leas to some degree) and when you think about it, that's all chivalry requires. Being nice to someone else. Going out of your way to help someone. Restraining yourself from saying something rude, that you know would hurt them. Why would we want to do this--what do we gain? Nothing, whereas a gentleman may have nothing. But he still has respect.