Friday, March 13, 2009

I can open doors... all by myself!

So, chivalry is dead.
Just FYI, on the DL, and all that jazz. I know there are guys out there who will argue that they are still polite and still open doors for ladies and always, always pay for dinner. And that is all well and good. I'm not saying that men have all become pigs and that's why chivalry is dead. Actually, all the fault lies with women who, like a few ladies I know (myself included) have given up on chivalry, gone behind it's back, put cyanide in its classy beverages, and then stabbed it a few times just to be sure it's really gone.
The other day I was walking out of a class just as a young gentleman was walking in, it had double doors, so naturally I opened one all by myself, not realizing at the same time this guy was opening the other door for me. I smiled politely, but stuck by my choice to open a door. All by myself.
I know it was just out of politeness, and that I may have done the same thing in his situation, but I thought it was kind of silly. There are two perfectly good doors, we are both obviously in a hurry, why not make use of the double doors? I realize that it could be argued that I would have been offended if he had not opened the door for me and simply breezed by. Honestly, being angry over something small like this would not have crossed my mind, simply because I don't expect chivalry in my daily life. I don't expect doors to be opened for me, chairs pulled out, compliments to flow, and jackets to be draped over the (many) puddle lurking around campus.
The whole feminist movement thing created a type of woman who doesn't man-hate because chivalry doesn't exist, but destroyed it herself so she wouldn't have to deal with it. I mean, if every woman out in the world went around expecting men to be perfect gentlemen all the time, then she would more often than not be sadly disappointed. There are some very nice guys out there, but I have yet to meet one who is Sir Lancelot reincarnated.
By destroying all the hope that there will come a man who will open doors, buy us flowers, and treat us like damsels - rescuing us, and so on - women remove all chances of disappointment. At the same time though, we're removing all chances of being impressed. I have to say that every romantic moment any guy has ever tried to create for me, I have completely destroyed, rather inadvertently or not. Most times it was accidentally, simply because I don't do the corny thing. I have become so jaded when it comes to chivalry that it impedes the ability to accept romanticism. It's a terrible thing, because every girl wants to be swept off her feet. And it wasn't just me spiking chivalry's drink - it's women everywhere.
We've been taught for so long that men suck, that they're jerks, that we should be empowered and fight for ourselves and say "screw you, I'm walking" to the shiny night on the white pony, that we almost lost the ability to accept something as simple as a door being opened for them. We'll watch old musicals and want to be swept off our feet by a song just as the starlet is, and then snap back to reality and open doors... all by ourselves.

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