Sultana

I would be content with just experiencing plain old good manners, much less chivalry.

Chivalry is a word heavy with subjective meanings, as well as the dictionary definition.

Chivalry (in my mind) goes over and above good manners. It's nice, but not needed. Manners, on the other hand, are sorely missed (as adequately illustrated in this thread). I would never expect anyone to offer me assistance soley based on my sex. And I definitely wouldn't want anyone to offer me *anything* motivated by any sense of obligation, rather than a sincere desire to help a person out who may need a hand.

I think that along with a break down in *chivalry* or manners, there is also a correlating break down in graciousness on the side of the person to whom the assistance is being offered. There are as many reasons for this as for the initial case, but I think it boils down to suspicion of motives. However, at some point one needs to grow past that. On both sides, but mostly I'd think it's the on the person receiving the manners.

"in accepting the gift, you honor the giver."
Rober Heinlein (sp?)

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"Love is a snowmobile racing across the tundra and then suddenly it flips over, pinning you underneath.
At night, the ice weasels come." -

Matt Groening

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