Educating the Soul

This was in response to a young lady who had encounterd much rudness and uncivility in her dating experience and decided to try here, yet with concerns:

"Being human is an aquired skill. Having the body gives you the animal part to get around with, but only indicates potential. Our particular society goes out of its way to avoid any deep and significant training in the higher sensibilites that can mark an individual as being a fine example of our race. Some folks are, of course, but they are straglers in time from cultures that had some concurance on what constituted excellent behavior, but even then these are usually partials. I find myself agreeing with Mahatma Gandhi. He was asked at the end of a tour of London what he thought of Western civilization. Without skipping a beat, he replied "I think it would be a very good idea." He knew in his heart what we publicly deny: Toys and comfort do not make a civilization and neither does technique or the ability to bash someone out of existence. We have no rites of passage for our young men and women, save something like Outward Bound, that makes them reach inside to discover what they have as resources in mind, body ans spirit, alone, or in a group. That's why barn raisings and tragedies unite people. They have to cooperate and the consequences reveal the rules. It's why the elders used to take the young men aside, and the crones the girls. It is a matter of soul education. How can you expect an ordinary raised in front of a TV short attention span, shootemup, what about them Nicks, society to know about etiquette and your sensibilities? Yes, there are guys out there who have a fine background and will make you a loving parner. See clearly what you want and practice living it in your mind. You will find that activity not only a wonderful filter, but there is a subtler level of life than just looking in a site like this. Feel what you want as if you have it, and see if it isn't yours in due time. I wish you the very best."