When I was a kid, the 21st Century was presented as an era where all our problems would be solved, we’d all own flying cars, would eat our meals in pill form and we’d talk to each other through video radios we wore on our wrists. Well, here we are in 2008 and I still have to cook, my car doesn’t fly (much) but I am communicating through my trusty cell phone.
Life, however, isn’t really any better. Of course, we have the major global problems: Possible global warming (even though a little global warming would be welcomed around here, I think), terrorism, and a political system I think a lot of us have a hard time trusting (when was the last time you voted for someone you wanted, instead of the lesser of two evils?). Social problems I’m not sure we even really see anymore. Poverty, crime, our sons dropping out of school, our daughters bearing children. I heard a statistic on the radio (The Jim Bohanon show) that one in three murdered women are killed by an intimate partner, and one in six of our women have been the victims of sexual abuse. I just couldn’t believe what I was hearing! What are we becoming? What are we teaching our kids?
Evidently, not much.
In the world we know, a two parent family is becoming the exception, rather than the rule. In those families, it’s almost required that both parents work, just to get by. So who’s raising our kids? Schools? Day care? TV and the internet? What kind of example is that setting? Listening to the news, I’d have to say not a very good one. There is just a fundamental something missing.
That something could be called ’Chivalry.’ Now, I’m sure that some of you are rolling your eyes, but think about it. What does chivalry mean? Off the top of most people’s heads, they are thinking about knights, King Arthur and such. If you dig some, you discover that its really much more. It’s about showing respect, helping people that need it, being a true and honest person. It means living for more than just a paycheck and hanging out with friends on the weekend. It means becoming a more ethical and moral person. It means being a good citizen and neighbor. Isn’t that worth working for?
Ok, having brought it up, how does the interested average Joe find out more? If you’re specifically interested in finding out more about what it means to be chivalrous, you can head to the internet and google it and start hunting. I did, and discovered that one of the best sites to learn from is one called www.Chivalrynow.net. There are plenty of good articles to read, even a forum to discuss such topics with like minded people.
We all want a better community in which to raise our kids and to live our lives. We want to be good people and to have our children grow to become good, respectful and caring people. Isn’t it worth some effort?
Life, however, isn’t really any better. Of course, we have the major global problems: Possible global warming (even though a little global warming would be welcomed around here, I think), terrorism, and a political system I think a lot of us have a hard time trusting (when was the last time you voted for someone you wanted, instead of the lesser of two evils?). Social problems I’m not sure we even really see anymore. Poverty, crime, our sons dropping out of school, our daughters bearing children. I heard a statistic on the radio (The Jim Bohanon show) that one in three murdered women are killed by an intimate partner, and one in six of our women have been the victims of sexual abuse. I just couldn’t believe what I was hearing! What are we becoming? What are we teaching our kids?
Evidently, not much.
In the world we know, a two parent family is becoming the exception, rather than the rule. In those families, it’s almost required that both parents work, just to get by. So who’s raising our kids? Schools? Day care? TV and the internet? What kind of example is that setting? Listening to the news, I’d have to say not a very good one. There is just a fundamental something missing.
That something could be called ’Chivalry.’ Now, I’m sure that some of you are rolling your eyes, but think about it. What does chivalry mean? Off the top of most people’s heads, they are thinking about knights, King Arthur and such. If you dig some, you discover that its really much more. It’s about showing respect, helping people that need it, being a true and honest person. It means living for more than just a paycheck and hanging out with friends on the weekend. It means becoming a more ethical and moral person. It means being a good citizen and neighbor. Isn’t that worth working for?
Ok, having brought it up, how does the interested average Joe find out more? If you’re specifically interested in finding out more about what it means to be chivalrous, you can head to the internet and google it and start hunting. I did, and discovered that one of the best sites to learn from is one called www.Chivalrynow.net. There are plenty of good articles to read, even a forum to discuss such topics with like minded people.
We all want a better community in which to raise our kids and to live our lives. We want to be good people and to have our children grow to become good, respectful and caring people. Isn’t it worth some effort?
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