Oh, behave!

—Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, 1997

Some would argue that basic social skills don’t exist anymore. And truly, why should they? Between our email and voice mail, BlackBerries and laptops, IMs and iPods, we rarely need to speak to one another in person. Is it any surprise that some of us have forgotten how to relate to others without keyboard emoticons? LOL!

Unless you want to spend all of your time with a virtual boyfriend or girlfriend (and yes, these do exist, courtesy of a company called Artificial Life), knowing how to relate to others in real time is key.

“Manners and social skills are still required when it comes to dating,” says Kellie, a 44-year-old Seattle single. “The women’s movement, the sexual revolution, AIDS, et cetera, have changed a lot of things. But what’s at the core has remained intact.”

And what is at the core of dating? The same thing that’s at the core of all other social interaction: etiquette.

What does that mean? It means knowing how to conduct a conversation without offending everyone within earshot. Knowing how to eat a meal in public without mortifying your mother. Being respectful of privacy—yours as well as others’. Not picking fights. Not picking your nose. Not getting drunk and making an ass of yourself in public. In general, it means behaving yourself—not in a snooty “that’s the oyster fork, you imbecile” manner, but in a socially acceptable, considerate way that will enable you to smoothly navigate any setting, table or otherwise.

See also:

Good Manners are Essential
The Art of Conversation
Tips for Shy Types