maybe i'm crazy

[ghelen]

or maybe i'm just hanging out with the wrong people, but has anyone else noticed a lack of kindness and manners and respect when it comes to dealing with members of the opposite sex? What happened to ladies and gentlemen? It just seems to me lately that neither sex has the respect for the opposite. This may sound superficial but I wish I had lived in the 50's when men wore suits and hats, and women wore dresses and never went out in public with a t-shirt and pajama bottoms on. I know I'll probably catch a lot of flack for this thread becasue women weren't trated as "equals" back then, but don't you think in a way, they were almost treated better? I mean, they were treated like ladies, and lets face it girls- there aren't very many role models out there that still portray manners and grace and style. And the men, why did you give up on the elegance that your grandfathers had? I know people will say that women were expected to be quiet and keep their opinions to themselves back then, and yes, I don't think that's ok, but what about getting rid of that rule and adopting some of the good ones. Does anyone else feel this way or am I the only one? What happened that we all are afraid to be like our parents and grandparents? Why are women so worried about being equals that we forget that we are different? And why aren't we ok with that? Sorry if I offended anyone, I'm really just curious what everyone else thinks.

[Bren]

Re: maybe i'm crazy

Well........ I tend to agree with you. We seemed so **** bent on being equal, that we lost alot. Not a good trade off in alot of ways. I am blessed to have a husband and son who are true gentlemen. Just the little things, but I so appreciate it. Opening doors etc etc.
I too think I should have been born about 50 years earlier!!!

[ghelen]

Re: maybe i'm crazy

You're lucky Bren. You're obviosly doing a fine job raising your son! The crazy thing is, I'm only 30 so it wasn't even like I ever lived through that era. It just seemed so much simpler back then. I don't know. It just makes me sad to think I'll never know what it was like

[texwife&mom]

Re: maybe i'm crazy

I completely agree. I do live in the 50's and I am only 28. My hubby works, I stay at home with our children and keep the house. In return I am a princess. If I need something I tell my hubby and he works it out. I think the beauty is I can choose this lifestyle, where in the past you didn't have a choice. (My honey also opens doors) Oh and my boys are required to say "Mam and Sir" along with their please and thank yous. Also I HATE "Bratz" and whenever ads come on for this particular line of "toys" my boys are trained to say "Mom those are floozies" I say "Do you like floozies?" They say "No mam, we like respectable ladies" And they are only 4 and 5 yrs old. We loose those manners and vaules we would instill in our children when we leave their care up to Nannies and Daycare workers. My 2 cents and what works for us.

[julirama723]

Re: maybe i'm crazy

I agree with you in the fact that I think SOCIETY has lost its manners...people don't know you're supposed to hold the door for others, not barge out in front of them...people don't understand that you let others go ahead of you in the check-out line if you have 90273 items and they have 3. I'm not sure what the reason is...I don't think it has so much to do with women's roles changing, I think it has to do with people being lazy. Because I notice that BOTH men and women are not polite to each other...it's not just the men who are supposed to be kind and thoughtful! I think people have stopped caring about their neighbor...or perhaps they're "too busy" to be polite.

[higgies]

Re: maybe i'm crazy

Yeah, probably this is true a bit. Society in general is less polite. Time is short, people are too busy, and the first thing to go it appears is common courtesy.

I think I do my best to maintain some sense of decorum. The problem, and I don't run into it too often, is that men today are somewhat afraid of offending a woman. If you do something chivalrous, many times you could get scowled at for treating them like second-class citizens when all you are trying to do is treat them like ladies.

I try to do small things...I hold the door open, give up my seat for women on the subway or whatever (at least if they are a little older than myself), and address them courteously. It's kind of funny to see surprise on their faces sometimes.

[Chasin2Kids]

Re: maybe i'm crazy

Think you hit the nail right on the head, Higgies. There are times when I have seen men act like gentlemen to a woman, and the women get all offended. So I think you made a good point. I would also agree that many women are obsessed with having everything "equal" and "fair"...but hello! Men and women are not the same. I think that when things started having to be equal and fair, we lost "something". Why can't people just accept the fact that we're different? Obviously not that women need to be treated like crap and men should be treated like Gods, but you know what I mean. A happy medium. There are relationships that I see now that are supposedly "equal" and the guys are getting totally walked on because they don't want to say any little thing for fear that they'll be labeled a chauvanist.

I think there has been a basic loss of respect in society. And where it started, who knows. But it would be nice if it changed!

[higgies]

Re: maybe i'm crazy

Why can't we be treated like Gods??

JK!