What Makes Britain Great #5
The fifth in a series of snippets about what makes us Brits a bit special. Here we talk about being a “gentleman”:
- Chivalry
Historically, chivalry was seen as an integral and indispensable, feature of the British ‘gentleman’. Today, men face the tricky challenge of adapting traditional gestures to fit in with modern Britain’s more relaxed ways.
Chivalry may be the courteous behaviour of a man towards a woman, but when is it out-dated and patronising, and when is it appropriate and well-mannered? These days chivalry is all about striking a balance between treating a woman like a lady, but also respecting her independence.
These days there are no hard and fast rules but the modern British man should aim for appropriate gestures that come instinctively, rather than contrived behaviour that might feel awkward and out-dated. The battle of the sexes is over and modern Britain is an egalitarian society – but there is always a time and place for good manners, especially when it involves giving up your seat on the train!