American Men: An Update

So I feel it’s my duty to keep you all up-to-date with yet more of my opinions about the ever gracious manners of American men. Today I had a man hold the elevator for me for a record minute and a half (it’s a long time to just stand there) as I slowly strolled across the lobby of my office building.  Then as soon as I got off the elevator – and this one blows my mind – a man who was about to walk through a door about five paces in front of me, stopped, backed out of the door, stood to the side and waited for me to walk through first!! And there wasn’t even a door to hold. It was just a rectangular hole in the wall. Hey… wait a minute… I’ve just had a thought.  Maybe all this American male politeness isn’t as polite as I thought it was.  Maybe all these American men have just figured out that if they let a woman pass in front of them they get a good chance to check out her fine bottom unobserved…  Hmm.  Is this the true reason for the invention of chivalry?

American men? Care to let me know what’s really going on?

Men and Manners

“Oh you British – so polite.  Such wonderful manners,” is what I hear all the time from my American friends.  Sorry amigos but you are wrong.  What you have mistaken for English manners is merely restraint and reserve and a deadly fear of offending anyone.

What are manners anyway? The courtly art of putting others at ease I suppose.  But if you are going to define manners by the frequency of performing specific predefined acts: opening doors, offering up your seat, then I will say that American men are light years ahead (or behind depending on how you look at it) of their English counterparts. 

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