h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

That's really, er ..... gulp .... great

I'm going to have serious words with my mother - she used to call me that name when I was small - I've never known why though - methinks she couldn't have known that story!

PS: Just phoned her, my mum that is! Apparently my great grandmother used the name all the time. My mother did not know that story, & I was right, had no idea!

I presume that after the murder took place people were saying things like "Ah, sweet Fanny Adams", time passes & little girls were called sweet Fanny Adams as a term of endearment. Time passes & the whole story & origin disappears.

One wonders how many of these sayings, etc., have deeper hidden meanings & origins, makes you think before you speak!! Really, as I'd said earlier (about walking on the inside of the pavement) manners & signs of courtesy all probably have deep seated roots of which the original story & reason have been lost.

Lovely!
For my tuppenceworth, I think there is still a lot of "chivalry" about. Its just hidden. A hundred years ago it was expected of a "gentleman" to perform all these little courtesies but now, as they have become some what tied up with sexism they are no longer publically expected. They are still done though. If they weren't there would be riots at work most days. I mean by that the holding doors example, waiting patiently in queues, politely waiting for people to pass in a narrow corridor and giving people directions amongst others. To me that all counts as courtesy, which is just the modern version of chivalry, as that word has become too tied to King Arthur et al.

"Considerateness" - not quite "consideration"? - is really what it finally boils down to. And that is definitely in decline. Unfortunately.

Once one is considerate about other people's needs and feelings, courtesy, chivalry and politeness will just fall into place, and sex or age are no longer necessary. But, as someone pointed out above, one person's considerate action is seen by another as patronisation. We can learn from netiquette here, by smiling at the person we are doing the favour to - just like a smiley softening the effect of a posting.

Okay, sorry about the generalisations. "If only most women would stop having sex with every guy in green." Is that better?

And I think we should clarify wether we´re talking about chivalry or just normal politeness.

It is chivalrous to be polite!

From what I know chivalry comes from the word chavaler. Which is a guy who is with a lady. And chivalry are the thingshe does to her, like holding the door and such. While politness is just what everybody does to everybody else. Saying thank you, shaking hands and all that sort of things.

I stand corrected. So that's why the chivalrous knights HAD to have an honour from a lady, so he looked as if he was fighting on her behalf - even though they were probably just fighting amongst themselves - they had to have a reason?

This explains why some thugs attacked my elder brother (quite some years ago now, but left him seriously ill) yelling that he should leave their sister alone - everyone else nearby could hear - although he didn't know who they were, let alone their sister! They wanted to appear "chivalrous".

I deduce from this that chilvalry can be VERY dangerous in the wrong hands.

But if we drop the concepts of "man" and "woman" or "knight" and "damsel" then we can apply it to everyone and we're back with general politeness. The basic idea is the same. It's just that holding doors open has been used here as an example rather a lot; many things apply to all situations, whether in consideration of the other person being a lady or just another person (older, disabled, younger, less well-informed, or maybe at a disadvantage for some other reason)

Other examples of politeness /consideration include things like not talking with your mouth full, which is offensive to anyone who is opposite you, or saying something that would offend anyone within hearing, putting your feet on the table (especially if you're still wearing shoes!!!) talking loudly in a restaurant, church, library, hospital ... pushing in front of someone in a queue, not apologising for treading on someone's feet and so on.

The subject should cover our attitude to everyone, not just of men to women.

When with a man, I would expect him to be considerate towards other people we encounter, not just to me - it would hardly endear him to me if he held a door open for me and then let it swing in the next person's face, would it!

Chivalry - .... inclination to help or defend weaker party .... knightly system with religious, moral & social side ....

Thanks to the Con.Ox. Dictionary. No particular mention of males or females, just medieval knightly system.

I reckon this covers being polite & courteous as being chivalrous, therefore it must be needed in modern day life - imagine life without it.

I do think it should work both ways though: men to women & vice, versa. Unless, of course, someone out there still thinks that the "the weaker sex" is applicable today.

That was the point I was trying to make. Sometimes I do rather beat about the bush, sorry!

Hey, don't apologise! I've rather shocked myself at being so succinct - I usually ramble & can't explain what I mean well or other people get the wrong end of the stick.

This is known as being civilised, hmmmmm, now there's a thought: is being civilised dead? Watching the news it sure seems so