Is chivalry dead?

[Pompidou]

Each generation is right though. As the years pass, people become less and less polite. That's just the way of things. We're always going to have the same complaints; that doesn't mean nothing is changing, it means it just keeps getting worse. Not to be a pessimist or anything, it's just the cold reality.

Makes you wonder how unfathomably polite people were in the days of Plato, one of the earliest recorded "Darn kids these days," lamenters. Considering this trend has been in existence for possibly 3,000 years or more, we aught not pine for the (comparative) barbarism of 75 years ago, when about 2,500 years ago, they were logically exponentially more polite. To do so is like a homeless man pining for minimum wage - better, but hardly a life of silver spoons and caviar. 3,000 years of increasing rudeness has yet to come to a halt, and won't any time soon.

 

[MikeBravo]

You took the words right out of my mouth. I don't find chivalry dead. My 13 yr old son will hold a door open for someone without even thinking about it. And most people did say thank you. That was in New Mexico. Here in Germany I've lost him a couple of times as he held the door and then the next 30 people herd on through without so much as a Dankeschoen. As far as in the grocery store or the autobahn I find the germans very courteous and I do my best to do the same.

The Germans are funny. I saw an interview with Hugh Laurie talking about when he was signing some autographs while in Germany (where House is very popular) when his train was about to leave the station and he had to run to catch it. When the people found he would not be able to sign their photos of him they tore them up and threw them in his face! They then abused him and said "Go back to England" He replied "That's just what I am tyrying to do"

 

[Wojo]

Thank you bunnyb,
It's nice to be here. I feel like I'm at home sitting on my sofa chatting with friends. All that's missing is a glass of port and a good cigar.


Guttersnipe,
While we do have a sentimental view of the past. It can't denied that there has been a coarsening of our culture. Look at lyrics from modern music. Look at the student portraits from a yearbook from a couple of generations ago. The girls were in dresses and the boys were in jackets and ties. The people who have been teaching decency and good behavior are the same ones responsible for teaching courtesy and manners. You can't teach what you don't know.

 

[John in Covina]

I actually have had ladies yell at me calling me a chauvanist pig, for holding the door open for them. It's the shrill feminist Gloria AllRED type brainwashing.

I hold chairs and open doors when I can. (However holding a door for a woman can often mean that everyone else thinks you are their personal door mat.)

 

[Edward]

Thank you bunnyb,
It's nice to be here. I feel like I'm at home sitting on my sofa chatting with friends. All that's missing is a glass of port and a good cigar.


Guttersnipe,
While we do have a sentimental view of the past. It can't denied that there has been a coarsening of our culture. Look at lyrics from modern music. Look at the student portraits from a yearbook from a couple of generations ago. The girls were in dresses and the boys were in jackets and ties. The people who have been teaching decency and good behavior are the same ones responsible for teaching courtesy and manners. You can't teach what you don't know.

There are plenty of songs from the Thirties and before that are pure filth.

 

[Feraud]

It has been rumored that people even had sex in the 'ol days..

 

[rue]

No, it can't be true :eeek:

 

[Atticus Finch]

It has been rumored that people even had sex in the 'ol days..

...but they didn't enjoy it.

AF

 

[Feraud]

touche!

 

[R.G. White]

There are plenty of songs from the Thirties and before that are pure filth.

I don't even know if I should post this, as it's horribly creepy and perverted, but yes. Pure filth.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIfcKy-VcXo

I'll probably get kicked off or shunned for this.

 

[Atticus Finch]

There are plenty of songs from the Thirties and before that are pure filth.

'Tis true. Old blues tunes, for example, are notoriously filthy. But, you have to admit, to understand the filthy meaning in those songs, one usually had to read between the lines. Not so, now days. Now, there is no more subtle filth. Its all out-in-the-open, in-your-face filth.

I was sitting at a stop light, just this morning, listening to the music coming from the car next door. Truthfully, I couldn’t help but listen…the music drowned out the noise of the traffic and the helicopters flying over head and everything else. The lyrics I was hearing plumb made me blush. Now look, I’ve been dealing with criminals and their unique language for going on three decades. It is very difficult to make me blush…but I did. You know, I didn’t realize that the letter “F” yielded itself so well to alliteration. This morning I learned that lots of useful words begin with “F”.

AF

 

[LizzieMaine]

'Tis true. Old blues tunes, for example, are notoriously filthy. But, you have to admit, to understand the filthy meaning in those songs, one usually had to read between the lines. Not so, now days. Now, there is no more subtle filth. Its all out-in-the-open, in-your-face filth.

Well said. Clever innuendo requires a lot more talent than just laying it out straight. Modern culture, in general terms, seem to have completely lost the ability to appreciate subtlety -- not just in entertainment but in anything else. If it isn't dished up in the broadest, flattest manner possible they just blink incomprehendingly.

And this is why, I think, modern people tend to think vintage culture was "too repressive" when it came to matters of sex. All that stuff was there -- you just had to understand the code to pick up on it.

 

[R.G. White]

'Tis true. Old blues tunes, for example, are notoriously filthy. But, you have to admit, to understand the filthy meaning in those songs, one usually had to read between the lines. Not so, now days. Now, there is no more subtle filth. Its all out-in-the-open, in-your-face filth.

I was sitting at a stop light, just this morning, listening to the music coming from the car next door. Truthfully, I couldn’t help but listen…the music drowned out the noise of the traffic and the helicopters flying over head and everything else. The lyrics I was hearing plumb made me blush. Now look, I’ve been dealing with criminals and their unique language for going on three decades. It is very difficult to make me blush…but I did. You know, I didn’t realize that the letter “F” yielded itself so well to alliteration. This morning I learned that lots of useful words begin with “F”.

AF

In truth, that's what made it fun. To read between the lines and laugh at it...

The songs with all the "F" words I hope are just a passing fancy, I do not understand the attraction towards them.

 

[Feraud]

The blatant use of curse words in lyrics shows a devastating lack of creativity.
A little creativity goes a long way. There are blues tunes that are obviously suggestive but the better songs are those that thinly hide their meanings with symbolism.
Songs about pencils w/out lead, losing a milk cow, etc. are classics.

There is a thread in the Radio room about Golden Era off color lyrics-
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?51133-Golden-Era-songs-with-off-color-subjects.

 

[JimWagner]

Libber, "Don't you think I can open that door myself?"
Me (continuing to hold door and smiling), "Yes."

I was raised to open doors, walk on the street side, open the car door and all those things that used to be considered part and parcel of being a mannerly man. I still do them and I always will with no fanfare or emphasis.

 

[Edward]

I don't even no if I should post this, as it's horribly creepy and perverted, but yes. Pure filth.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIfcKy-VcXo

I'll probably get kicked off or shunned for this.

Ha, that's the very one that always springs to my mind first. It's a classic.

'Tis true. Old blues tunes, for example, are notoriously filthy. But, you have to admit, to understand the filthy meaning in those songs, one usually had to read between the lines. Not so, now days. Now, there is no more subtle filth. Its all out-in-the-open, in-your-face filth.

I was sitting at a stop light, just this morning, listening to the music coming from the car next door. Truthfully, I couldn’t help but listen…the music drowned out the noise of the traffic and the helicopters flying over head and everything else. The lyrics I was hearing plumb made me blush. Now look, I’ve been dealing with criminals and their unique language for going on three decades. It is very difficult to make me blush…but I did. You know, I didn’t realize that the letter “F” yielded itself so well to alliteration. This morning I learned that lots of useful words begin with “F”.

AF

Well, yes, there is that too. With more restrictive censorship, people had to be a lot cleverer about how they spoke of certain topics. At least, they did if they wanted to be recorded and/or reach a wide audience.

 

[Edward]

Well said. Clever innuendo requires a lot more talent than just laying it out straight. Modern culture, in general terms, seem to have completely lost the ability to appreciate subtlety -- not just in entertainment but in anything else. If it isn't dished up in the broadest, flattest manner possible they just blink incomprehendingly.

And this is why, I think, modern people tend to think vintage culture was "too repressive" when it came to matters of sex. All that stuff was there -- you just had to understand the code to pick up on it.

Indeed. I've also seen the inability to pick up on these subtleties manifest itself in some folks who would wish to shun the modern world in favour of an asexual culture that didn't really exist to begin with. I often think I wouldn't object to a little more censorship nowadays if it led to better art... I do still cherish the faint hope, though, that the abundant availability of pornography on the web these days will force Hollywood to be creative again as they can't just fall back on selling sex when folks can get that on the internet at home, for free.

 

[Caleb Moore]

I was in a situation not too long ago where a friend (a 70-year old lady) found herself getting emotional over something we were watching and started tearing up. I reached in my pocket and handed her a handkerchief and she was completely stunned and incredibly grateful. She said she didn't think anyone carried handkerchiefs anymore, let alone thought to offer one to someone who was crying.

A week later she sent me a pack of very nice, high end handkerchiefs in appreciation. It's too bad that both my gesture and hers seem to be such rarities these days. Maybe we can turn the tide...

 

[Feraud]

Well said. Clever innuendo requires a lot more talent than just laying it out straight. Modern culture, in general terms, seem to have completely lost the ability to appreciate subtlety -- not just in entertainment but in anything else. If it isn't dished up in the broadest, flattest manner possible they just blink incomprehendingly.

And this is why, I think, modern people tend to think vintage culture was "too repressive" when it came to matters of sex. All that stuff was there -- you just had to understand the code to pick up on it.

The ultimate irony is a culture that doesn't realize how un-original it is.

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

In truth, that's what made it fun. To read between the lines and laugh at it...

The songs with all the "F" words I hope are just a passing fancy, I do not understand the attraction towards them.

The earliest known recording to contain the F-word is probably Butterbeans & Susie's Just Like You Walked In, You Can Walk Out from 1930.