I looked up "cad" in my Webster's dictionary and the definition was, a person without gentlemanly instincts.

I looked up "gentleman" and the definition was, a person of good or noble birth.

I don't buy that. To me, a gentleman is a male adult (sorry kids and ladies) who has a code of standards and ethics by which he conducts his life. The code of conduct takes into account the feelings and reactions of others (being considerate) and also includes such virtues as honesty, bravery and generosity. Everyone is free to add their own quirky, quasi-virtues such as chivalry and promptness, but I really see them as being tied back to the original four. The important distinction is that a gentleman is following some set of standards and making deliberate choices throughout his life based on those standards.

I strive towards being a gentleman and I know I'm not as "there" as I'd like to be, but I'm sure I'm not a cad. At least, not by Rick Marin's definition.

I guess my definition wasn't included in Webster's dictionary because they've got to watch their word count or things could really get out of hand.