Is Chivalry Dead?

Is Chivalry dead?

This comes after many discussions turned arguments between my friends & I regarding this topic.

It’s taken me ages to write this. My mind has changed so many times about whether or not it indeed is dead. I’ve been having an assortment of experiences that will pull me in different directions each time.

When I first started writing this, I was on a flight back to the mother city on Kulula and as with all Kulula flights, some sort of entertaining commentary accompanies the journey. This time the flight attendant asked us to introduce ourselves to the person beside us. Chatterbox me was reluctant & was actually contemplating ignoring his instructions.

“My name is Dougal”, shot into my left ear. Now, I had to play along. But it was less uninviting as it was before. I also introduced myself to Jani, the young lady to my right (who sat on the most envied seat of the 3 – the window seat) we proceeded to have some surface chit chat and then it evolved into full on conversation about all kinds of things – including astrology: on my list of favourite things. I opened my bag of tricks on the subject and let them read what it said about each of their signs. They were both quite fascinated by the truth the summary held. Even Dougal the sceptic was quite intrigued.

Now as I typed the title to this piece of writing (at the time it was “Chivalry is dead, rightly so?”), Dougal was about to fall asleep. He tapped me while I typed the first few sentences and asked me. “Is it really dead?” I had to stop and think. I myself didn’t have the answer. He believes it isn’t because he still practices it. On his (I think its safe to say) lucky girlfriend.

I didn’t finish writing this at that time because we got plunged into fat, phat conversation and so I had to suspend my idea of writing this piece. Here I am again in the sky, Joburg bound and dabbling with the same subject.

I think I have come to a conclusion (not much of one clearly) that chivalry does exist. It is very alive and very well. It creeps up on you when you least expect it. So it’s rather rare and maybe woman are to blame for that? That is debatable & I don’t have much to go on to challenge those who disagree with the statement that womankind have brought it upon themselves.

Nonetheless, if you’re female and you’re after that gallant man, good luck finding him – but not all hope is lost. They are out there. I promise.

And those of you we call men, if chivalry is your thing do it, if its not, try it and if it doesn’t tickle your fancy for the right reasons, then leave it behind & be comfortable in your skin. There are women who don’t expect every door to be opened.

I’m not sure I’m one of them though. I’m still finding out.