I had a flat tire this week at one of the most random moments of my life, and I had no idea of what to do. I had a spare tire in my trunk, but I didn’t have a tire jack or the proper knowledge to repair the flat. I received some help from three men that were in the same location that I was in, but their assistance did not make my situation any better. It all resulted in me reaching for my phone and contacting all of my male friends and asking them two questions: 1. Do you have a tire jack? And 2. Can you help me? I truly thought that I would receive little to no help at all considering my age group of friends (early twenties) and the time of day that I needed the assistance (around 3:30 PM). However, my expectations were quickly denied and changed.
Society has painted the image of the new generation as a human race that lacks humility, respect, chivalry, and morale, but this one moment reminded me that there is still hope. Everyone that I contacted replied back to me as soon as possible and even those that responded after the tire was repaired made sure that I was OK. This reminded me of the medieval code of chivalry and the infamous quote: "Chivalry is dead!"
The Code of Chivalry was a moral system which went beyond rules of combat and introduced the concept of Chivalrous conduct - qualities idealized by the Medieval knights such as bravery, courtesy, honor and great gallantry toward women. It was understood by all of the people who lived during this time. However, in today's time most men, young and old, have been portrayed as a breed that has strayed away from this code of conduct and have particularly become infatuated with the physicality of the woman versus the actual respect and honor towards us.
This piece is a friendly reminder to all women and men that there is still hope for mankind and our morale. A lot of us haven't forgotten how to treat one another. We have simply forgotten to treat each other respectably without a designated purpose. Chivalry isn't dead. It's simply forgotten about and still lives within the hearts and minds of the young men who were either taught how to treat women phenomenally or raised by a woman that was phenomenal. We, women, must refrain from repeatedly telling our young men and those that do try to be a "man" that they are not doing enough or not giving them credit for trying. This only results in most refraining from their moral responsibilities and creating a culture that reciprocates its moral code as throughout the generations.
This particular moment has also reminded me that no task is too hard for a woman to do, and there are also some things, like changing a flat tire, that we need to take into consideration as a learning experience versus relying on a man. You just never know when or where you will be when or if your tire goes flat and if anyone will be able to travel to you in a sufficient amount of time to help. It's not too hard to learn to be completed, and it is a necessary skill that we all need to know regardless of socially constructed gender roles and expectations. It's a survival mechanism.
