Is chivalry dead in America?

Question

Upon opening the door for a woman of obvious class at a department store she pondered aloud, "Chivalry isn't dead in America." I am interested in what she meant...

Answer 1

... wait 4 da marines 2 get back from iraq

Answer 2

Is chivalry dead? Absolutely not. But the appreciation of it seems to be fading. Here's the thing, ladies. Guys like doing things for you, especially if they're easy, but as women try more and more to be on equal terms with men (and I don't believe this is an area where they should be), they seem to think that a man opening a door, or letting them go first, or any of the things once considered chivalrous is now a demeaning act.

Certainly this isn't about all women, and certainly not all men care to be chivalrous, but there have been many times that good acts have been snubbed because . . . really I have no understanding of why. My guess would be that opening their own doors and such puts women on equal terms with a man. It doesn't. Some things just aren't the same, or even equal, between our two sexes.

Answer 3

What you are exemplifying as chivalry I consider simple courtesy. Actually I have had women look at me as though I were patronizing them by opening the door as though I were saying that they were not "capable or strong enough to do it on their own" or when I stand as they enter the room. We have become the nation of the offended. We are so much quicker to find something insulting or degrading about a situation or action then considering just.......being nice. I understood how those women may have felt but I was being me and what they think of it makes absolutely no difference whatsoever. I have found that the ones who voice their "objections" to courtesy are the first ones to complain when they're not shown it.
There is also the way we are today to consider, especially in America. We are so production & accomplishment driven that if our actions -courtesy, charity, what have you- does not help with the sum-total then it's not important, even though people-skills are extremely important, opening advantages and opportunities in all walks of life, and that goes for both men AND women.

Answer 4

Chivalry is perceived to be dead in America because of our self-sufficient society. We don't need each other anymore...we don't talk with our neighbors or stop and help others, and we mind our own business because everyone is a suspected crook. There's no distinction between the sexes, everyone is equal, and women are often insulted if you offer to help...even opening a door. That's one view. But I think for the most part, especially in smaller communities, good manners are the rule, and women often open doors for men because it's polite to do so. So I don't think chivalry is dead, but it ain't like it used to be. But nothing is.

Answer 5

According to Weird News,Chivalry was excavated by a group of archeologists in the northern region of Dead as a doornail.According to the scientist chivalry has been deceased for aproximately 30 years.They later theorized that the cause could have been the Girls gone wild or BET videos.

Answer 6

Human beings as a whole are becoming increasingly desensitized to contact. It’s considered taboo in most places for a man to hold open a door for a woman because she can then interpret it as a statement on his behalf that he feels she is too weak to open her own door, or somehow requires his assistance. Many businesses even discourage male employees from opening doors or pulling back chairs for their female coworkers because they don’t want to be implicated in accusations that they allow for sexual discrimination. It’s crazy. We’re all supposed to treat one another “equally” and, in doing so, we ignore all sense of courtesy.

The death of chivalry can be seen in a lot of different places--Old people being left to stand on public transportation while young people sit, oblivious to everything or each person of a couple out on a date splitting the check at the restaurant.

It was a fine line that turned into a slippery slope.

Answer 7

I am not going to give you a lot of dictionary definitions about French knights. Let's talk about what happened here in the US over the last 40 years that made people think "chivalry is dead."
Although the "women's liberation movement" of the 60's had the lofty goal of banning discrimination against women, it was foolish for people to believe that women should be excactly like men in every way. Why would they want to anyway?
Some women mistakenly thought men were trying to enslave or control women with polite chivalrous behavior, like opening doors, giving up your seat on the bus, etc.
I can understand why a lot of men stopped trying to be chivalrous - since they got blamed for good behavior and intentions.
The mistake made in our society was that instead of rejecting chivalry, women should have graciously accepted it and tried from time to time to be chivalrous themselves. For example, in most foreign countries, both men and women will gladly give up their seats on the bus to old people, women with a group of kids hanging off of them and visibly pregnant women. It's rare to see that here. Now it seems that everyone is out for Numero Uno.
I am glad this lady acknowledged your chivalry (you opened the door for her), because what you did may not seem like much, but such a small kindness can brighten up someone else's day.

Answer 8

She was referring to "chivalry," which was a code, a discipline, and was quite involved in its day. These days it refers to a man being a gentleman in the presence of, and for, a woman. Here's some more information I gleaned from wikipedia:

"Chivalry refers to the medieval institution of knighthood and, most especially, the ideals that were/have become associated with it throughout literature. It was also often associated with ideals of knightly virtues, honor and of courtly love. Here's some specific information:

"Chivalry was in essence a warrior code which was later appropriated and propagated by the Church which added the Christian aspects. The Church allowed warrior monks and mounted soldiers of the Middle Ages to become Orders of Christian knights who would protect the church and society.

"The word comes from the French word chevalier which means knight.[1] The English word cavalier comes from the same root. Ultimately the word gained an aristocratic connotation, as it distinguished the wealthy knight on horseback from the peasant infantryman walking with his pike and the artilleryman dragging his vulgar machinery.

"Today, chivalry is interpreted as courteous behavior, especially towards women. A quote often associated with this idea comes from Edmund Burke: "The age of chivalry is gone." [1], often misquoted as 'The age of chivalry is dead.'"

Answer 9

People that say 'chivalry is dead' generally are not ladies/gentlemen. You attract people that are like you. I've not had a friend who was not chivalrous, gentlemanly/lady-like, kind, and generous. Ive meet very few people who were rude and disorienting. Not to toot my own horn, but just by doing things that you consider to be chivalrous, you infect people around you to do the same. It really is sad to hear people talk about how there are not any good guys or there is no more chivalry because they are actually just describing their own lifestyle.

Answer 10

Obvious class.......now I'm jealous!

She just meant some guys still chivalrous things and some women like her take it as a compliment not a insult or comment on female abilty or the male role.
Which is cool!

Although if a women did take opening the door badly I guess it just means shes socially sensitive and has probably encountered dimissive behaviour before maybe becuase she was a woman and means she probably dosent hate men just can't figure them out.

Answer 11

Depends if you're talking about King Arthur or not. I think the lady at the door meant that you holding the door open for her is "chivalrous" But if you're wondering about rudeness in America, there was a 20/20 episode about it. Apparently it's on the rise. Of course people have been saying that for centuries.