Authority Etiquette

Photo: Dr. Martin Luther King giving a speech in front of a crowd.

The History

In the Medieval period society was very codified. Meaning it was strictly, and systematically governed by laws. Such laws can be moral (biblical and enforced by the church), formal (enforced by the ruling power/police), or societal. By societal  law, I am referring to laws which are dictated and enforced by societies and cultures. These laws are informal in nature, but this in no way lessens the serious affect they had on people.

This post will focus on two intersecting, and correlational laws. The first is the moral and ethical code referred to as chivalry. According to this code you must: obey those placed in authority, fear god and maintain 'his' church (respect/uphold religious authority), and always serve your liege lord. This basically called for an unconditional, and unquestioning faith in authority.

There were also laws that arranged society into different classes of people. Known as the feudal class hierarchy the few and powerful were at the top, and the many and powerless were at the bottom. The hierarchy was as follows: God and his earthy representative at the top, followed by the Monarch, nobles (liege lords), knights, the working class (merchants, and farmers) and then came  peasants in at last place. There was no room to maneuver in the system. The class you were born into would most likely be the class you died in.

The Custom:

Therefore, it was customary to respect those in authority. The aforementioned laws inherently enforced and perpetuated this class hierarchy. Well, technically all Medieval laws did. By engineering obedient, unquestioning members of society the class hierarchy remained unchallenged. It would be anarchy to transcend the class (with all its barriers) that you were born into.

Most people are still taught to respect authority, and to do as they are told. For the most part there is no harm in this. Children should respect parents and teachers, adults should respect the law, etc. However, when you raise a population from birth to blindly do as they are told things can go from good, to bad, to worse very quickly.

The verdict: Leave it (stick it to the man)

I would like to clarify: I am not saying loose all respect for authority. Rather, do not blindly adhere to those who hold positions of power. Question, debate, and engage in your government, relationships, and lives. Do what you are told, only if it is the right thing to do. For example: it is a good thing to obey the speed limit, and other laws. But, it was also a good thing that Dr. Martin Luther King challenged power structures, and societal norms which were backward and unjust.

Hannah Ardent, a philosopher, wrote about what she called the "banality of evil". She argued evil wasn't monstrous, demonic, or other worldly. Rather, the greatest evil occurs when normal people refuse to think critically. This type of behaviour allows for things like the holocaust to occur. Normal citizens, for the most part, just did as they were told. A sentiment reiterated time, and time again during the trial of Eichmann (Nazi). Never forget to think before you act.

Walking Etiquette

Photo: Couple walking arm in arm

The History:
Historically, swords were sheathed on the right side and hung at a mans waist. This was due to the fact that the majority of people are right handed. It allowed quick access to a person's weapon. Back when danger could be lurking around any corner, or within any passing glance this was important.

The Custom:

The proper way to escort a lady is for the man to offer her his left arm. Thus, freeing up his right arm and allowing him to protect the honor, and safety of his lady friend. This tradition still applies indoors. However, the industrial revolution added a new problem into the equation: cars. 

With the rise of motorized, or wheeled vehicles etiquette had to evolve. It is now considered proper for a man to position himself closest to the street with the female farthest away from the traffic. This would protect her from physical harm, and hopefully any dirt/water splashing up on her clothes.

The Verdict: LOVE IT (runaway success )

I think offering a woman any arm is something worth bringing back, and so I say this act of chivalry deserves a comeback.

It is slightly problematic to assume that women still need to be protected by a male figure. But, I think this is a relatively harmless social custom that doesn't infringe on the autonomy of anyone.


Stay tuned for more. There will be a new post every week! 

Chivalry: Then & Now

Photo: Man holding the door for a woman.

   This is the question this blog will ultimately try to answer in each post. The Western concept of chivalry was introduced, roughly, somewhere around the 10th century AD. When people hear this term, they often think of a moral idealistic code that knights of yore lived by. This is only partly true.

  

The Code of Chivalry was a flawed, at times contradictory, code by which the aristocracy modeled their lives. It applied to both men, and women. This code faded out of memory until the Victorian era when it saw a revival in literature, and then the culture.

   Here is where the idealistic, romanticized version of the code emerged. Knights on epic campaigns selflessly sacrificing for the ones they love, and the innocent featured heavily in such stories. However, in reality it was often much more problematic. The chivalry is based upon strict binary gender roles: hyper-masculine males, and submissive hyper-feminine women.  

   You may be asking yourself: why should I care about an ancient code, surely it doesn't affect me? Each blog post will begin by looking at how historically enriched customs deemed acts of 'chivalry' have transitioned into the modern day. It will also explore the impact they have on our lives. From this a judgement can be made: should we reintroduce, or encourage this behaviour or should we leave it by the wayside?

Click here for more on the history of chivalry.