good and bad manners

What does it mean: good table manners? Nowadays people don't pay much attention to this kind of things.It's no longer as important as it used to be to behave properly while eating. Although we still know some basic rules, we usually don't remember about them and don't try to obey them.First of all, we shouldn't make sounds like for instance slurping or smacking during meals.Secondly, we shouldn't have our elbows on a table.Eating too fast is also considered a bad manner.Moreover, we shouldn't use fingers but cutlery  during meals.Although, in some cultures burping after eating is considered a well- mannered behavior, in our country it's very impolite.The spoon shouldn't clink against the soup plate or the glass while stirring tea.We shouldn't start eating until everybody sits down.
Well-mannered people should always remember to be respectful towards the elderly.Although it's something rather natural, not everyone keeps it.Older people are more life experienced and should be treated with respect.In my opinion, young people in Poland usually obey this rule.A good example is that they make the seats in buses and trams free when someone old gets on.However, I think that it shouldn't work only in this way.The elderly should treat younger generation with respect, too.Mutual respect is a basic rule in social relations.What about the respect for teachers? Schools changed a lot in last years.When our parents were going to school, it looked much different. Pupils had more respect for teachers because they were frightened not to have it.Today schools are more liberal and the teachers are more lenient.They can't do a lot of things which they used to do ( like applying corporal punishments).The teachers are more easy-going and friendly.I think in good schools students have respect for the teachers.However, it depends on a student.In worse schools it is often different.We sometimes hear for example in news that the teacher was afraid to go to work.To sum up, earlier, pupils had more respect for teachers.Now, it doesn't always exist.
Currently we don't often come across ladylike and gentlemanly behavior.It is usually the elderly who act like that. Younger generation consider it something obsolete and unfashionable.However it is not a rule.There are many boys who act like gentlemen, especially when they want to make a good impression on a girl.It all depends  what environment we contact and what people.Good manners is something that we learn from our parents and it's connected very much with our upbringing.I'm positive that it still exists.I think that it's easier to find a gentleman than a girl who behaves ladylike.Older women are often ladies but young girls act more like boys.Girls don't lead sheltered lives anymore.They are often noisy,foul-mouthed and misbehave.However here we can also find exceptions.
And finally a quite controversial question: how about kissing in public?Is it okay? I think here we would get divided opinions.In China people consider it a very bad manner.It doesn't disturb me at all but it is older people who have problem with that.I think it's okay as far as it is within the bounds of decency.I think it's beautiful that people show their feelings but obviously not every place is appropriate for that. I think that in some time it won't disturb anybody but at present it seems a bit controversial.
To sum up, I wouldn't be pessimistic - I think that good manners still exist.Maye we don't pay too much attention to it in our hurried life but most of the people are well-mannered.