Am I a 'white elephant?'

All of the ladies who contacted me I courteously replied to, yet all of the ladies I very politely wrote to failed to even acknowledge my communication.

Does courtesy not apply or exist on the internet? Perhaps I belong in the C19th?

Your observation has some merit and also some dubious aspects. First to expect a reply to an initial inquiry is not tenable as some women receive a thousand responses a day so the correct thing to do if not interested is too simply not respond. Now if the person responds then it is reasonable and correct to then respond and here many choose to initiate a conversation and then stop without indicating the end of a conversation leaving the recipient in limbo. This is rude as its only necessary to say something along the lines of " its time for me to address other things and will get back with you another time say tomorrow nite Thanks"". This allows the person to politely leave and the recipient to know that they dont need to wait for ten to twenty minutes to see if a response is forthcoming In this regard many folks do not extend this courtesy and that is quite rude and not appropriate just as one would not stop a conversation by simply walking away given normal conversation If for a reason a person wants to continue a conversation and its fine to do so for any reason the only requisite is to acknowledge the end so that the other person knows and can move on as well and not wait for a response that is not coming. These common courtesies demonstrate appropriate social skills and a genuine concern for all and allowing for each person to move in and out of mail without rudeness or taking up unnecessary time and expectations too.

You're showing your age...Internet social sites are courtesy and clothing optional

Right don't deny it. You played 1 of the Duke brothers in the film Trading Places, alongside Eddie Murphy and Dan Ackroyd? Been trying to place your face for weeks now!

I still don't get why someone has to write back to someone just to tell them they aren't interested, if they don't write back it means they aren't interested.

I've also heard from several females from here who have said when they did write back to say they weren't interested they get jumped on and insulted, so now they don't bother to respond.

This.

Yes, my worst fear confirmed - I'm ancient and out of touch. I still go 'aah' when watching 'The Quiet Man' 1952 film starring John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara. So so cruel for their courting chaperone to cry "No pettifingers if you please!" when an attempt was made by the couple to hold hands. Should I try to update myself? I have done so to some extent - I've acquired a computer (but the wind up handle keeps falling off) and recently addressed a letter to a male without adding 'Esquire' after his name. As for taking one's clothes off - now there's a sure way to catch a chill and be tied up in bed for three weeks. What did I say? Can't believe I said that. I'm modernising myself quicker than I can keep with! Where's my rosary?

P.S. Torgo70 - By gad sir. The point is that until a gentleman is rejected by one lady he approaches in a romantic vein good manners declares that he should not transfer his attentions to another. How long does a gentleman have to wait before risking his good name?

No, if you are trying to make a lasting connection, remain true to yourself and be yourself What I see in you so far is very positive....Be patient, connections happen here all the time...

You act like you're already in a relationship with someone you haven't even communicated with beyond a first email. When I'm avidly looking online I don't limit myself to one email, you have to send out many to up your chances of getting a response. Some respond, some don't. It's life. Ladies generally get more emails than men, some will look in their inbox to a flood of emails. I definitely wouldn't expect them to take the time to email back every single one, only those she finds she might want to get to know more.

LOL both actors passed away long ago

I think there is plenty of courtesy but not everyone will be couteous. In cyber ettiquette, it is not obligatory to respond to emails from total strangers, or even those one knows, much in the same way we are not obligated to answer our phones.

a mail from a stranger on the net is a bit like a stranger in a bar...if we're not interested we politely move away and do not engage his conversation as to not give a false impression of interest.

TBH you sound a little like you are whining and that typically does not go over well on the boards either....welcome to the Matrix

yup, exactly - not here to argue - I do not have to or want to justify to a man why I am not interested.....unless it is someone who I have a foundational relationship with in the first place (that;s different)

Sometimes the women are the ones that are rude when they do reply.

I don't just mean saying that I'm not their type or something like that. I mean being rude and obnoxious.

The other week I read one of those boring profiles that had nothing interesting to respond to but under what her profession was she had written"Please ask me about that". So, I messaged her and said alright and asked her what it was. Got a rude reply back telling me that if I had bothered to scroll down I would have seen that she was an "RN". Well, excuse me for missing some acronym, or not knowing what it meant.

I guess though that it stands for "registered nurse" and I hope that she treats her patients with more courtesy than she treats men on dating sites.