Growing up, I was not educated by nuns, raised by particularly stern parents, or compelled to commit to memory the collected works of Emily Post. Even so, I knew that a gentleman ought to open a door for a lady, exercise restraint in using colorful language, and write a thank-you note upon receiving a gift. I was raised in a household, and came of age during a civilizational moment, that still prized good manners, or at least their outward display, which is better than nothing.