If our civilization is going to turn around, I believe we will need a “trend” in which people aspire to be very formal, very proper, very controlled in their behavior. A true Victorian approach to relations between gentlemen and ladies. The lower classes should adopt such behavior in an effort to improve their station, and the upper classes should adopt such behavior as a duty to society and to demonstrate that they deserve their lot in life.
Dumbing down Jane Austen is a sign that we are very far from what I dream of. Going in the wrong direction there, dude.
“... I believe we will need a “trend” in which people aspire to be very formal, very proper, very controlled in their behavior.”
This is probably the reason some of us are still royal watchers (mainly the British royal family, but there are others). Some of them may not behave well all the time in their personal lives, but they usually appear publicly well-groomed, well-dressed and well-mannered. It makes a nice change from all the tacky celebrity/famous people dreck we are bombarded with.