Do people use manners these days, or are they not needed or outdated? One of the first words my children learnt was "ta" and if they wanted something they would point and say "ta ta". Now no-one seems to say please, thank you or certainly not excuse me. Why is that? The boy living next door to me never speaks as he walks past. He was born there and has known me all of his life, yet he has never once said "hello" even when I'm having a conversation with his parents, and they have never told him to answer me when I say hello to him. I find it plain rude and don't understand it. So why are manners no longer valued?