Loosely translated, it means if you have wealth, power, prestige, and privilege:...
You have social responsibilities.
You must help those who are less fortunate.
You must balance it by duty towards the less privileged.
You should be role models of decency.
Since many of us are Noblesse Oblige...
...beginners and neither wealthy, nor powerful, nor privileged,...
...how can we put it into practice?
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis,...
...the wife of former U.S. President John F. Kennedy has some good advice:...
Coddle bit players.
Give proper respect to those who make your path smoother in life.
Learn to recall the names, unprompted, of those you meet.
Don't publicly criticize your enemies or opponents.
Especially, don't bad-mouth people by e-mail: as electronic slurs can be endlessly forwarded.
Don't sink to your enemy's level.
Tap higher powers to help the helpless.
When you cannot do more, look around 720 degrees for the solution.
Don't be too proud to ask an influential friend to help the helpless-...
...even if the two have never met.
Turn the other silken cheek.
Sometimes you must show people what you are made of...
...by learning to let mild acts of ugliness pass.
The classiest cash is the quietest. Quietly buy the fine things in life.
Don't gab on about money, either yours or anyone else's.
To be a cut above, don't cut.
Even if your social status or connections somehow permit it,...
...resist any temptation to leapfrog over more common folks.