With every politely respectful human interaction that withers away, a part of our community, our communality, dies.  Not responding to a text message or an email is not clever; it’s rude.  Not thanking an aunt or a grandparent for a birthday or Christmas present offends the giver. Walking at an old lady and forcing her to get out of the way is inconsiderate. Queue-barging onto a bus or train is vulgar. Etcetera, Etcetera……..

Manners are not some old-fashioned thing that can be abandoned because you can’t be bothered.  They cost nothing, but the price of losing them is higher than anyone can imagine. Manners spring from thought for others, for respect and consideration.  In other words, they are the mark of a civilised society where people think about others, not just sbout themselves, a society where people follow an Epicurean way of life of kindness, compassion and gentlemanly behaviour.