Dear Readers,

I think I’m a chivalry snob. Sorry about that.

-TJ

Thank Plinky for this. They asked if chivalry is dead or if it ought to be. According to dictionary.com, chivalry is the sum of the ideal qualifications of a knight, including courtesy, generosity, valor, and dexterity in arms. Most of the time, it is used to refer to courtesy, generosity and valor. I think that these are great qualities to exhibit, and therefore not dead. Rare, but not dead (though dexterity in arms cannot hurt from time to time).

Having come of age inr the deep South, I was raised to appreciate and even seek friendships and relationships with men who exhibited chivalry and to be generous and polite in return. I have met some women who are not comfortable with men who open doors and publicly (or otherwise) exhibit signs of courtesy or consideration. They like to say it is because they are independent and liberated, (who gets liberated from good manners?) but I often observe that it is because they are insecure with the idea of having high expectations of the men they interact with and as a result unable to reciprocate such politeness in return. I have met some men who don’t believe in chivalry either, but I chalk it up to them being raised by wolves. 🙂

Like I said before, it’s rare but it’s not dead.