Women who are still waiting for their Prince Charming often wonder, do romantic fairy tales still exist in our generation? It’s clear that times have changed from sweet, innocent Corey and Topanga to Ronnie and Sammi’s rollercoaster of a relationship. Relationships nowadays have been spiraling downward due to lack of respect. Respect for one’s self and one another are crucial in today’s society, so why is it easily forgotten?
It is true that back in the medieval era or even late 50’s, life was simpler. In the 21st century, we have many more opportunities and choices. It seems like the more you have, the more respect goes down the drain. Our generation has traded the art of personal communication to hiding behind a computer screen on Facebook. We’ve advanced from love letters to texting. Technology has affected the way we communicate…or at least the quality of our communication. Maybe one day we will we look back on our time and wish we didn’t have such wonderful technology. Maybe more isn’t always better.
Even Adam Brody has said that chivalry is dead. In case someone out there doesn’t know what chivalry is, let me define it for you. Chivalry was first born in the medieval era and was used as a code of virtues in courtly love. In other words, chivalry is known as being “gentlemen like” towards women. Over time acts of chivalry have changed, but there is still something to be said for walking a girl to her door after a date and asking a girl’s father for his daughter’s hand in marriage. It may be cliché to some, but is that just an excuse to not make the extra effort?
Manners are a key component in the acts of chivalry. No one asks a girl out on a date anymore. Now, it is considered strange or creepy if a guy asks a girl out on a date in person. Since when did us girls downgrade to accepting date offers via text or Facebook? Advances in our society shouldn’t mean that acts of courtesy and respect should change as well.
So who is to blame for the romantic decline? Technology? Parents? Teenagers or young adults? No one? Females blame the males and the males blame the females. Women shouldn’t have to trade romance for their own success, but men will often use that as a reason for less romance. Over time women have become more independent and chivalry has decreased. The roles of the man having more power have changed, leaving men questioning whether or not to still use chivalry. The change of society and increased reversed roles has automatically made men the reason behind chivalry being killed off.
Maybe we shouldn’t blame anyone but rather protect our relationships and those who mean something to us. We buy surge protectors for our computers and battery packs in case the power goes out, so why don’t we put the time and energy into our relationships that we give to our electronics?
Our generation is great because we’ve embraced differences in others instead of continuing to judge. We’ve come so far in so many ways since our great grandparents’ generation, but I think we have lost a few things along the way. I do not think chivalry is dead. Like my MacBook, it’s just asleep.