[Artemisia] Chivalry and Opinions

[dukealan at q.com]

All,

This past discussion has been interesting....and bothersome to me in some ways.  Many have opined on what chivalry is, or isn't.  In their opinion.  And what chivalrous actions are, or are not....in their opinion.  

What colors our ideas about what "chivalry" is, or is not?  Modern "pop" culture has led to some different ways of looking at things.  To put things in perspective, for some of us, definitions of chivalry and chivalrous actions are found by....gasp...reading books by those who discuss it.  Surely, some of these books were written in Victorian times, and idealized what knights and chivalry were considered to be.  But some of them go back into medieval times and define what chivalry is...or is not.

Lord Tennyeson (sp?) wrote of King Arthur and his ideas of what chivalry was.  Others wrote about Arthur as well.  Did you know that King Arthur was idealized in period as well?  Hmmmm, did that color some of "their" concepts of chivalry and chivalrous behavior?  Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, of Sherlock Holmes fame, wrote of chivalry and chivalrous behavior in Sir Nigel and The White Company.  Doyle got much of his info from period sources on chivalry.  If you have not read these books, you should consider it.  Especially, if you want to speak in any kind of educated level about chivalry.  Really.  Read Ivanhoe.  It's great to have an opinion...it's even better to have an opinion based on some factual basis.

Before I continue, please understand that I am extrodinarily proud of what William, my squire, has accomplished in his present employment.  He has brought a higher level of authenticity to his current employers presentation.  As mentioned by others, William conducts himself in a manner that does him honor.  He has gone and done, what others just talk about (and talk, and talk and talk...but don't do).

Now something else that has kinda bothered me, and it goes far beyond this discussion, or the SCA, but is found in "modern" thought and "norms", is the condemnations about speaking and expressing an opinion.  The absurd fear that expressing an opinion....gasp....may offend someone, somehow.  This has led to some PC nonsense that has begun to defy reality and common sense.  I reject this notion.

When the "Knights of Mayhem" chose their name, they made themselves subject to opinion.  Period.  From SCA people, or any other people who honor the concept of Knighthood and Chivalry.  How would King Arthur view a group with the name of "Knights of Mayhem"?  It may sound SO COOL to the modern MMA hype of pop culture, but to others....not so much.  When they put their show on TV, they willingly entered the realm of exposure to opinion.  Does Charlie Andres shrink from the very thought of offending anyone....are you on dope?  Charlie revels in it, and it's part of his "show".

And in defense of the Knights of Mayhem, they are exposing more people to jousting (albeit, their style of jousting), and by extension, medieval history.  At least some of their audience is likely to do a bit of research and maybe learn something about medieval history...who knows, maybe that interest will lead them to the SCA.

So, for those who have said that since it's not SCA, we have no right to an opinion, or to discuss it here, I respectfully, and with full hope of not offending anyone, say this.  POUND SAND.

But if you choose to take offense, when none is offered, then the problem is yours, not someone else's.  Cowboy up and accept responsibility that YOU choose to take offense.  Get over it.  It's not personal.  How many of us have the movie "Knights Tale" in our collection of DVD's?  It's a great movie....it's got horrible costumes, it's got some crappy armor from a mish-mash of periods.  It's based in Hollywood fantasy, and not in any excess of medieval reality.  But we still like it.  Weird.

Oh geez....I just expressed an opinion, based or fact, about something.  Please don't be offended....but if you are, guess who's problem it is?  If you need a clue to help you along figuring it out, it's not my problem if you choose to be offended because I expressed an opinion about "Knights Tale".  That concept extends beyond "Knights Tale".

I enjoy discussion, and I enjoy learning things from people.  Sometimes that's places to go for research, and sometimes that's just hearing other people's opinions.  Please don't try to limit people's ability or willingness to express their opinion...however misfounded...or not.

YIS,   Alan