Do you do polite things for other, like open doors?

Thank you, WebMann. I'm sure you've never opened a door for me, but on before of those you have, thank you; and on behalf of humanity, thank you. I certainly agree that common courtesy is almost a thing of the past. I am 70 and although I am a very agile 70, I have very often almost been knocked off my feet in shopping centres, by young people just cutting across in front of my path, bumping into others, without any consideration at all. I cannot limit my thoughts to young people, because it happens with all age groups, but it does seem to progressively worsen with younger ages. There seems almost no consideration for others in young adults, and very little with those in the middle years, but more in the older ones. With that in mind, could we say the responsibility lies with the older ones, because they didn't teach the ensuing generations? Thankfully, there are still quite a number who still respect others, are helpful and show consideration. Thank you for being one of them.

Politeness is like manners. They are both fast becoming a thing of the past. I try to teach my children both. I do it by setting examples by being polite and helping others myself.

I have always tried to oppen door or assist in anyway I can. I think its just proper and they way I was raised. I am also trying to raise my children with the same respect for people.

It seems younger people are plain rude and selfish anymore or too many of them are. Which is really sad.

I do it all the time... But most of the time the doors are automatic... But whenever me and my girlfriend go out she goes ahead of me and opens the door... I try to catch up to her just so i can open the door(No seriously!) And also i've noticed that alot of people aren't opening doors for others. I mean once some guy just closed the door on my face and my bag got stuck in the door... I hate to REopen the door...

Yes that is the truth people are becoming more and more flat out rude. Or thats what I call it when someone slams a door in my face . I especially like that when I have my hans full and holding my daughters hand and someone just butts ahead of us in line instead of opening the door. We need in sure that our kids are bought up to respect people.

yes. i am a woman but i always tend to be polite even if men don't usually are not polite these days anymore. i still help the elders when they need help while crossing the street. i open doors for kids and elders. and i always say thank to someone who did me a favor like salesladies in department stores, cashiers, baggers and so on. this world will be a better place if people just do little good deeds everyday.

I try to but with things like opening doors, it's usually me who needs someone to be polite! Like when I've got the baby in a pushchair, I do find that a lot of people will just let the door fly in my face or not even notice if you're trying to get up steps or something. I think that's one reason why I do polite things like that when I can, because I know how it feels to need help. There's no reason not to be polite and I don't know why people aren't so polite any more. I suppose most people would assume it's something to do with certain generations, which, although still wouldn't be ok, would be an explanation in a way, but it's people of all ages, all sorts of people. I am trying to teach my kids to be polite, whenever I'm out with my older son, if there's someone who needs help and we can help, I will get him to help as well, or at least explain why I'm helping. And if, say, I let someone through a door first, I'll explain to my son by saying, maybe, "let this lady first because..." and give him a reason. The only reason people aren't polite is because their parents haven't taught them to be so. Well, younger people, I think some older people who are impolite are so just because they think they are entitled to everything just because they are old.

I always hold doors open for men and women alike. I even gave up my seat on the bus for elderly gents/women when I used to travel via public transport. It costs nothing to be polite.

I agree with you there. Though today I was surprised my family and I went to go into a store and the door was held open by a gentleman. I thanked him and wished him a good day. That does not happen very often as they usually open the door for one person but do not generally keep it open for a whole family. I myself try to help people as much as I can. Even whilst shopping if I see a lady leave her purse in the trolley I stand and watch to make sure nobody steals the purse. It would be horrible to go to pay for your groceries and find your purse has been stolen.

I am always polite to people and will give up my seat on a bus, help mothers with prams, inform people of things like the cash machine not working instead of them wasting their time. The thing is nowadays so many people are rude that it puts others in a bad mood and they become less likely to help someone. I live in London which is not the most friendly of places and alot of people will push you to get on the bus, never give eye contact. My mum would constantly get pushed by young men on the train when she went to work everyday. Years ago we used to respect our elders but that seems to be going out the window. It is ashame. When I have visited places outside London, that feel more of a community, people are alot more friendly and I am always taken aback when a stranger walks by and says hello.

This is very true. We should be little polite and careing about other people around us. To make a good society this is very important.

Maybe it's our age, I am in my 50's too, and I always hold doors open for someone if I am entering or leaving a room and someone else is behind me. That is just common courtesy. I also say "Please" and "Thank you". Being polite doesn't cost you anything and if you can make someone else's day a little nicer than why not.

i do the same i hold doors open i let somebody with 1 item go first in a grocery like if i have more i use thank you and please but yes you are rght the cashiers no longer treat the customer they used to its hard to get smiles out of people i think its because everybody is in a hurry its the computer age cell phones pda's we talk to machines all day

This reminded me of an incident. When I was entering the bank I ensured I held the door so that the next person behind me can easily come and as a mater of fact, I feel I should do it because it represents courtesy. What happened next baffled me. After him there were two other person who also hurriedly squeezed in but none bothered to take the door from me. As if I was standing there as a door keeper. Lol. It does not mean that I will not do the same again in my life. I will continue to do the same again because I know I am doing the right thing. Unfortunately many people lives life within. They forget that we also have a social commitment.

I most definitely do! I take great pride in having good manners; and you are right; more and more people these days seem to be losing their respect for everyone else around them. How hard is it to hold the door open for the next person behind you? How hard is it to say please or thank you to someone? Even when someone says thank you to me for something, nine times out of ten I will tell them that they are welcome. Society would definitely be improved as a whole if we were more sensitive to others around us.

the July 2006 issue of Reader's Digest made a global courtsey test from all the big cities in the world, and New York city came 1st on the list. They open doors for others,and help pick up dropped papers on a busy street. And philippines came on 21st of the list. too bad i just hope they could have run the test on me because i would definitely open a door for everyone and help a person pick her paper on a busy street.

I think the world is getting to be such a fast paced society that far too often people are just plain...wrapped up in their selves. They are often in such a hurry that they dont even make eye contact with anyone. I live in a small community and I find that people here are much more relaxed and less rushed. They do hold the door open for the next person and do take the them to say "HI". I have also noticed that the bigger cities are not as friendly or as polite. My husband still opens the car door for me to get in. He still holds my hand to cross the street and still gets on the outside of the curb to protect me from traffic. I feel so special and I have noticed that young ladies particularly watch when he does this in public.

When I used to ride an MRT(Metro Rail Transit) before, it's normal to give a seat to ladies or old woman(or even a man) especially during rush hours wherein the train is really full. I get to use with the situations wherein it make me believe that politeness in that case still really exist. When we transferred into new place, I seldom ride an MRT instead I use a bus as transportation going to my office. On the 1st day, I was surprised with what I saw, the bus is full so I have no choice but to stand along the aisle, little did I know most people I joined along the aisle are woman, some are old man. Yet most man had taken the seats but nobody bothers to offer, I was really surprised by this situation.. it even came to the point that one woman asked if she can take the seat coz she can't stand any longer, that was the only time when the man offered his seat. So weird, since then I said to myself that regardless of the place or situation, I should share the politeness that my ancestors and parents had thought me. Not only to those who need but to everyone around us.

Interesting topic. I try to make a point of being polite and helping others whenever I can. For example, the day after the U.S. Thanksgiving, (I'm Canadian)I was shopping at Kohl's in Washington State, and the line-up to get to the checkout was horrendous. I was with my sister-in-law who had a shopping cart, but the lady in front of us, had an enormous armload of items plus a bunch of things that she was moving along with her foot. I handed my couple of purchases to my sister-in-law and walked to the check-out counter (seemed like a half mile)to see if they had any shopping carts. All they had were those huge shopping bags, so I took one of those back and gave it to the lady in front of us to put her things into. She was so overwhelmed that I did that, and she must have thanked me a half dozen times, but to me it just made sense. There were two of us, so I wasn't worried about losing my place in the line up and I was just waiting along with everyone else with nothing to do.