DEAR ABBY: I grew up in the lap of luxury at a private country club in the East. My father was the golf pro. In my teens I noticed that these wealthy people always introduced one acquaintance to another whenever they met for a chat. I also noticed that my lower-income friends and family never did.
After moving across the country to the West Coast as an adult, I have noticed that nobody -- rich or poor -- seems to go out of their way to introduce a new face to others in the room. What would you say accounts for this? -- DONNA IN LAS VEGAS
DEAR DONNA: A person can't do what he or she hasn't been taught. During the 1960s, many parents stopped teaching their children social refinements like the one you describe. The result has been a lack of sensitivity in social interactions, and it is evident in more ways than this one.