How A Man Becomes A Gentleman

The ten behaviors

That Photo by Shamim Nakhaei on Unsplash

What’s the difference between a man and a gentleman?

The word has evolved since its beginnings in the middle ages. For several centuries, a man could not call himself a gentleman if he made his income through manual labor.

But social pressures began to loosen in the 18th century, as found in this quote by writer and politician, Richard Steele: “The appellation of Gentleman is never to be affixed to a man’s circumstances, but to his behavior in them.”

Today, neither your family name nor the means with which you derive your income affect your ability to claim the title, but the bar for gentleman-like behavior keeps rising.

A decent person must treat people with respect, display politeness, seek consent before contact, and eschew violence in favor of a peaceful resolution. Think of those behaviors as the pre-requisites. To become a gentleman, you must exceed the minimum standard.

1. Mind your gossip

Gossip is like free porn. Once you start, it’s hard to stop. And when you finally do finish, you’ll wish you hadn’t started.

You’ll never escape gossip; it’s rooted in our evolution. But the gentleman distinguishes between rumor and fact. He never speaks ill of someone behind their…