Is chivalry dead?

Opening doors, offering chairs, paying for dinner, taking off the hat - these are the usual concepts of chivalry, stemming from the days of knighthood when the great gentlemen were expected to follow a specific chivalric code. Knights were trained to fearless fighters, full of honour and gallantry, aggressive on the battle field, that was then tempered by a particular chivalric code that centred around respect. The Song of Roland was one example, outlining how one should behave. Much of the chivalric code and expected duties stem from Faith in the church, with honourable characteristics including honesty and prudence.

The chivalric code extended to matters of the heart - and love in the medieval courts. Damsels were aplenty in the King's court and a knight courting his beloved had certain ideas and notions on that love. The Rules of Love in the court are outlined by Andreas Capellanus in his work, De Amore:

• Marriage is no excuse for not loving.
• An easy attainment makes love contemptible; a difficult one makes it more dear.
• It is not proper to love one whom one would be ashamed to marry.
• True jealousy always increases the effects of love.

Of course, when we talk about chivalry, we don't really mean the knights of the courts - we're talking more about men honouring women, being courteous and considerate to the "finer sex". So when we ask if chivalry is dead, we're really considering this fundamental question: do men today respect and honour women?

And I guess, there's no real answer - there are certainly plenty of women that I respect, Angela Merkel for one, while there are plenty of women that I don't really have a lot of respect for - say Lindsay Lohan with her ankle bracelet - not that I'm really judging her or anything. There are plenty of respectable men - like Obama - and absolutely abhorrent ones (I'll let you come up with a few on your own).

So back to the question - is chivalry dead? In the age of Carrie Bradshaw, have sex like a man and Lindsay Lohan's party girl independence - do men respect women less than they did in the past?

Call me an optimistic - but I don't think so. I think men are confused about the appropriate actions to demonstrate their honour and respect - do I hold open the door or am I infringing on her independence? It's a minefield to walk through - depending on the girl and the situation. But deep down underneath - the modern man still respects the modern woman.

After all, if they didn't - they'd be hearing from their mothers.

Do you think chivalry is dead? Do women want men to be chivalrous? Are certain girls worth it?

Sex and the City - a phenomenon

I am standing in a queue for the new Sex and the City flick - you can feel the energy in the room. Women of all shapes, ages, backgrounds and races - all keen to see their fav fab 4 in action.

Reading the reviews, there's little doubt that S&C is - a phenomenon - that's what Margaret called it last night on At the Movies. And it is - something about the show has really captured the heart of the fairer sex so that plot, realism, dialogue - all that stuff we look for in movies - they don't matter. It's about the clothes, the style, the setting - what these women represent.

And only women seem to get it. I loved watching Margaret become so animated in defending her enjoyment of the movie. A girl I work with had the same reaction - it's a love that cannot be challenged - like defending the honour of someone bitching about your BFF.

What can I say - it's a girl thing.

Queue's moving, here we go. :) See you all on the other side.

Does social media empower us?

Facebook, twitter, blogs - web 2.0 has given us all a forum to voice our thoughts and opinions, share our feelings and ideas - and give us the satisfaction that we matter. Doesn't matter that we're not experts on a matter - this is democracy in the 21st century and our opinions count!

From broadcasting our hook ups and conquests - to our fails and faux pas - social media gives us a forum to say what we really think - and with 140 character limits - we don't even have to give evidence or support our claims. Don't like it? De-friend me right now - go on I dare you.

So has social media liberated and empowered our society - giving us an outlet to speak our minds freely? Or are we in such a frenzy to be heard that what we say has no real substance anymore?

And where do women fit into the social media sphere? I wonder about women in particular because women are seen as being exceptionally influential in this space. A 2008 study shows that while both sexes are adapting social media, women far outpace men in the use of these networks. Women are generally more community and network oriented in their daily lives and there more mediums - such an online gaming - that demand male attention in front of the computer.

So how are women using their online voice? Many speculate that as social media continues to grow as a viable and necessary business component, more and more women will be needed to execute these strategies - which means more opportunities to females to be in control. On the other hand, on a personal level, maybe it's a bit of a social crutch that lets us hide behind our idealised visions of the world - where everyone is tweeting, liking and digging the same things - and speaking with the same voice.

But who's REALLY listening?

What are your thoughts on social media in society? Do you use it? Do you like it?