How to Be a Gentleman

Nearly every man wants to be a gentleman. He may not know exactly what that means, but his true desire is to be respected and admired in the way only a gentleman can be. He wants to be prepared and confident, certain that his judgment is shrewd and his behavior appropriate. A gentleman considers the weight of his words and the impression he is leaving. He knows when to ignore his iPhone in favor of a face-to-face conversation, and he understands that sometimes he should simply say nothing at all. He knows what to do with his sport jacket at the end of the day, and what color shoes he should never wear to a funeral. Snapping at a telemarketer calling from some far-flung place? A gentleman realizes that's no way to communicate with anyone. He knows the difference between "I'm sorry" and "Excuse me," and he doesn't use them interchangeably. Being a gentleman is timeless; these are ideals that will never be obliterated by technology, the latest social ideology, or protests from men who are content to do less.