Rightly said

If women behave like ladies and dress like ladies then they will be treated like ladies.-Egghead

i couldn't agree more- and i'm seeing that in everyday situations. Most of the time i am in my own world when i'm out shopping or running errands and those around me are just part of the background. However, when i take the time to actually ACT like a lady- i notice my treatment is different.

i also agree with the two other commenters (thank you M:e and Sirtoher) as they both basically said that the way you were raised dictates the way you act-in many cases and that Men miss the 'old order' way of things as much as many women do.

i also think..well let me restate - i have also seen in other countries that younger Men/teenaged boys have better manners towards women than here in the States. i realize that is a blanket statement and one that might cause some debate but here me out....please.

Let's talk about...Vienna. There are notices that certain metro and bus seats are for the elderly, pregnant and mothers with young. i've seen boys ...a group of them..get up when a woman came on the metro and there was no place else to sit. she didn't fit into the aforementioned catagories.
Would that have happened in New York? Would the woman even expected it? hmm...not so sure.

i hold a very fine line in my mind between being able to 'do it myself'(been saying that since i was two yrs old...LOL) and allowing others to help...or even do it for me. The difference between me now and at two -besides cute perky breasts- is that i now ENJOY not doing it myself...maybe it's because i know i can..maybe it's because giving up the ability to Someone else is so very sweet or maybe it's because as i've matured, i've realized that the 'old order' of doing things - letting the Man be the Hero is really how things should be. i'm not sure i've expressed it best here but hopefully the essence of what i'm trying to say comes through.