What has happened to the lost art of treating women well? It was just a few decades ago that generosity, valor and common courtesy were, well, common.

Not that long ago, not that far away, men were expected to behave under such rules of conduct.

But in a world where "going out to get a ho" no longer involves a hardware store and a garden tool, even the inkling of practicing such medieval customs is rarer than an unfinished beer at a frat party.

Unfortunately, the gross negligence that led to this tragic decline in etiquette standards can be traced to several different sources: young men, who care more about themselves than anyone else; young women, who have allowed the bar to be set so low; pop culture icons, who continue to deteriorate in moral quality; and parents, who dismiss teaching and emphasizing basic manners.

Guys have lost the ability to put others (namely women) before themselves. It has somehow become more important to wear a Yankees hat backwardsat the table of a nice restaurant on a first date rather than acting gentlemanly and polite.

Instead of opening doors, holding chairs and speaking articulately using "please" and "thank you," men have gotten the misconception that dressing like a slob, cursing every other word and acting with complete disregard of general respect is somehow attractive.

Has Grand Theft Auto really rotted our Y-chromy minds so much that we can't understand how girls wouldn't find such actions to be anything less than macho and irresistible?

Alas, women have indirectly promoted such behavior by not demanding more of men. Women don't expect to be treated well anymore.

Thus, the standards have fallen to the point where girls are dumbfounded by a guy who can look them in the eye and construct a coherent thought without breaking a sweat.

But when today's most famous pop icons are being thrown in jail, making sex tapes and marrying Kevin Federline, what do you expect?

There is no charming, classy figure for men to aspire to, and likewise, no self-respecting lady to light the way for women. Hilary Clinton, despite her many, many, many faults, is a powerful feminine icon. But even she let Bill "Slick Willy" Clinton slide.

Why aren't parents stepping up to teach their kids about the importance of such basic forms of respect? Aside from the obvious fact that there is a lack of verbal communication of such teachings, the example of that practice has fallen by the wayside as well.

Statistics show that 50 percent of all marriages end in divorce. With domestic violence rates as they are (more than 52,000 cases of domestic violence reported just in the state of Washington in 2004), the lessons being taught are all the wrong ones.

As a whole, it seems as if chivalry has slipped into a coma so deep that nothing short of a Dr. House miracle could revive it.

But on an individual level there is still hope.

Chivalry doesn't require green tights and a plethora of poems and olde English. You don't need a horse and a lance to be a knight in shining armor.

The only necessity in this archaic ritual is respect and a confidence to show that respect through appropriate actions.

There are many easy things guys can do that require no time, cash and little effort, yet can improve your image immensely.

For instance, when getting ready for a date, choose to wear a collared shirt instead of a "1 tequila, 2 tequila, 3 tequila, floor" T-shirt.

Little things like opening the car door for her or seating her at the table will not go un-noticed. Because girls rarely experience the simple niceties of such acts of courtesy, doing these will set you apart from others and make you that much more attractive.

Aside from the fact that acting in such a manner will make you more appealing, the reason to raise yourself up to a higher level around women is simply because it is the right thing to do.

On the flip side, girls should develop a mentality that requires prospective mates to have such characteristics. Finding someone who is polite and respectful to you is not just an added bonus, it's a necessity. If a guy doesn't treat you correctly, then you can do better.

Through little everyday practices, the silent minority can keep this dying trend alive, even if most of the world has already pulled the plug.

[Reach contributing writer Jeff Dickson at opinion@thedaily.washington.edu.]