From the Inbox
Chivalry in our modern times
(The following is a reader's reaction to the column of our Lifestyle Editor Kathy M. Villalon entitled Chivalry: Women vs men which came out last Tuesday, July 10, 2007).
Chivalry in today’s generation is in great danger of becoming history. Time has changed and we are now enslaved by Consumerism. Indeed, the culture of consumer capitalism may have been the most nonconsensual public culture ever created. First, it was not produced by people but by industrial revolution. Second, it was produced by commercial giants in cooperation with other elites who are comfortable with and who are committed in making large profits . Television has arguably become our most important institution of cultural reproduction . And Corporation has skillfully manipulated in creating the desire of their audience to buy their products.
As our lives have been influenced by these skillful Marketing tools that lord all over different forms of Media outlets, the shift from social economy of household and community production into monetized Economy has been created. From your desktop, PCs, cell phones, radio and televisions, all kinds of advertisement and marketing pitch are present . Welcome to globalization and digital revolution that will dominate our lives today. These media will shape the culture and behavior of the citizens of the world. Big corporations are all out to reach each corners and crevices of the world to sell their products.
You may ask “What it’s got to do with Chivalry? ” Gone were the times when people have time for everything. People have time to socialize, play, relax, spend family time together, enjoy and most of all the special time for Romance. Now, most households need two working parents to make both ends meet. Why? They have to pay the cable, broadband, service provider, cell phone bills, cell phone upgrades, desktop and all other modern day household equipment and appliances on top of these consumer items.
Life was so simple then. Yet families were able to make it through and live in the doctrines of Christian values, let alone the word Chivalry is in the heart and mind of every head of the family. People with abundance of love in their heart, hardly seek solace in material acquisition.
Parents who are Career Professionals now have become slaves of corporate interest and they quest of large profit to please the investors. All of them are squeezed into the last drop of their sweat to increase productivity.
Family values are compromised. They were forced to hold into the blade of the dagger when they have soaring bills to pay. Tired and weary, walking home like zombies, they vent their frustrations in their domestic end. Gone is Romance, Gone is love, Gone is Parenting as most of the working Parents just crash land in bed, punch drunk from work. Yet sometimes they are being chased by work on their PCs, desktop or text messages .
Yesterday I was in Doctors Clinic while Fluid was aspirated on my knees yet my blackberry never stopped crying even though I declared myself sick.
Any shift or extra pressure from the day's routine would just create sparks and arguments. When spouses are both under pressure and stress, it is hard to maintain harmony inside their home. Some choose to unwind in the company of friends and in bars, which sometimes lead to broken marriages. Both have become grumpy when they see each other and blame the domestic problems at each other.
These circumstances lead to the demise of Chivalry. Sometimes, understanding and teamwork would work. As I see some peers, clients and contemporaries their egos and careers have more importance than their families and marriage. It is sad to see this dysfunctional state but it's happening and is a big problem that plague our society.
Iloilo is about to get into the crossroad of becoming a New Metropolitan Center. It’s not saturated yet with Corporate Environment but I could see it coming. I hope and pray that our society won't be totally sold out on Consumer Spending. I hope our productivity and self reliance in Agri business remains. Then I have the comfort of the place I call home in my retirement years. A place where men are still polite, honest, principled and taking care of their women like a fine China as you put it. Hopefully, I could enjoy my candle light dinner with my wife when our tour of duty in this concrete jungle is over.