Consideration for others is the basis of a good life and a good society," according to Confucius. Though etiquette's form has changed a good deal since 500 BC, its intent has not: to encourage us to put others' comfort before our own - or at least, not to act like the centre of the universe and spoil it for everyone else. It's why we chew with our mouths closed; it's why we send thank-you notes; it's why we hold the lift for someone running towards it; and it should be why, when we tell a date "I'll call you", we actually call. Good manners are part of the social contract we voluntarily enter to create a more harmonious society. And where can we benefit more from a little harmony than in the complicated world of dating?
Unfortunately, yesteryear's guidelines for formal social interaction don't usually apply to today's more casual romantic connections, so modern daters are left floundering when it comes to politesse.
