Chivalry is now dead!

This is my first ever blog post. I've been thinking about things a lot lately. I recently just rounded the ripe old age of 40 and for some reason think that I have some experience in the ways of the world now. This revelation that I have experience has been revealed to me through simple observations I've recently made. I hope to share some of those with you on a somewhat regular basis. It migh be daily, it might be weekly, it might be monthly. As I observe something I find myself compelled to write about it. I think you'll see where I'm going with these observations and invite you to submit some of your own.

My first observation I'd like to call the demise of chivalry and why.

When is the last time you opened a door for someone? Was it at the grocery store? Was it at the mall? For gosh sakes, was it for your wife or girlfriend? I believe the world is slowly losing the art of chivalry and the simple act of, or lack thereof, opening or holding the door for someone else is just one example. We simply don't do it any more. I don't necessarily think it's our fault either.

I remember when I was a child, my father taught me to be polite and when you meet someone at the door at the same time, you let the other person go through first. You might even go so far as to open the door and hold it for them so they would have to go through first. Most important with this act was women. Even if you were clearly to the door first, you would honor a woman by going out of your way to make sure a woman behind you would enter a door first before you. By all means you might even pick up the pace if you were behind a woman so you could get to the door first so as to be able to open it for her. It goes without saying that your wife, girlfriend or mother would NEVER open the car door for herself.

I have observed the above as a child and to a degree my father has rubbed off on me. I believe in politely allowing someone the honor of going into a building before I do. I often do hold a door for another to go in before I do. When at all possible I try to remember to open the car door for my wife. But, more often than not, I observe the exact opposite of these actions. People, in general, no longer care about allowing someone else to enter the store before them. In fact, I see people race beyond others to go in before someone. I rarely see a car door opened for a wife or girlfriend. There are 2 key reasons that I think are the main contributing factors as to why this has developed and that chivalry is now dead. I'll simply state what they are and I don't think I'll have to say anymore. I think like I, you will just sit back and go "Ah yes, I see what he's talking about." So, from the long diatribe above I give you 2 simple reasons why I think we've seen a demise in chivalry:

1). Automatic doors at the grocery store/out there in the world

2). Keyless entry automobiles

These 2 things have left us out of the habit and prevent us from practicing the above art. And we all know, practice makes perfect.

So as you go about your day, take the blinders off and observe the world around you. You'll be surprised how much of the above you'll witness for yourself.

Brinx