KCTU HAPPENINGS

I had to laugh the other day when I heard a woman ask her grandson why he couldn't seem to observe common courtesies. It's because there's no such thing. People are becoming increasingly rude to each other, and it crosses every social, economic, and even generational line. People cut each other off in traffic, flip each other off, curse and swear at one another, and even fail to observe the most basic rules of etiquette.
When I was a teenager, my dad often chastised my brothers and me for treating each other poorly. He insisted that everyone in the household treat one another with courtesy. In my daily life, I try to treat everyone I encounter with the same basic courtesy that I expect to receive. Ordinarily, it's a pretty promising start. People respond well when treated kindly. It's more difficult to maintain an aggressive attitude if you're not met with aggression.
I just want to know; how hard can it be to preface a request with a "please" and an acknowledgement with a "thank you?" We correct our young children when they forget to say those things, but who corrects us?