THE DEATH OF THE GENTLEMEN

by Robinson V

What is a Gentleman? In today’s society, it is a word tossed around with little added meaning. Perhaps a few decades ago it was worth more but now days, it is seldom seen and as a result, barely spoken of. Yet the word is used, not to describe a man, but the lack of a type of man. A rare breed as most would say, a person who practices chivalry and possesses with them the honor and respect for the things around them. Old stories of legendary Gentlemen would be tossed around, stories that feels to have occurred centuries ago but actually dates back a few decades. So what happened? How could things have changed so suddenly that a breed of men that once existed not too long ago is now a rare sight?

I am sure we all have heard of the term “survival of the fittest”. What if men in order to survive had to change… in order to stay current we had to cast aside old custom and become something else? The cocky guy, the macho-man, the dark mysterious guy, the tool, the “bad boy”…all of these became the hype and the opposite sex was drawn towards it. Suits were out, leather jackets and jeans were in and all of sudden, men found themselves forced to make a decision, we all know what followed.

It became normal to call a woman something other than her name. Personality mattered not, one no longer needed the ability to hold a conversation, and most importantly it was no longer about the other sex…it was about us…men. It grew like wild fire, this trend picked up in schools and around our neighborhood. Soon enough it was on the big screen. The world no longer needed gentlemen because it was now captivated by the new man. So as the years went by, the Order of Gentlemen dwindled. There was no point of being one because it was not profitable, had little to no return, and worst of all, you were forced to go against the norm.

Those daring few who refuse to conform and kept to the old ways faced many obstacles and still do. They are the nice guys, they hold the door open for you, get up to let you sit down, talk to you for hours until you are feeling better. These are the men who would go out of their way to make sure you were okay (even if it means they had to suffer). Gentlemen, a dying breed indeed.

We would look at our elders today and see them so in love as if it was their spring had just begun. We would ask them how they met, the stories they would tell us. Of a type of a love that in today’s world is barely seen, stories where gentlemen played a leading role, not a supporting cast. These stories would bring sorrow to the hearts of woman because they now believe in today’s world that kind of love no longer exist, gentlemen no longer exist and if they do…are hard to find.

Hard to find? I believe we are looking in the wrong places. Almost every woman has a gentleman close by whether they know it or not. Ladies please do not take offense when i say this, you are not to blame, we all share this guilt. A Gentleman indeed is a rare sight. In fact, they are so rare that when spotted most woman want to keep them as a souvenir. This is how the friend zone was created. The Friend Zone is nothing more than a vault to store valuables which so happens to be the gentlemen, the nice guys. To avoid being captured, gentlemen are forced to wear skin not of their own. Eventually some ends up wearing this for the rest of their lives in fear. Some just keep to themselves, hoping they will be discovered and liberated from the shadows. Sadly most are captured and remains currently in that friend zone.

While trapped, they would hear the woes, feel the sorrows of the woman as she searches and comes up short. The love of a gentleman is so strong, it hinders him from speaking out and shouting “i am here, the man you are looking for….search no further”. Instead, he cries in the shadows and loves silently. Some die alone, others try to escape and are either cast back in or abandoned (no Gentlemen want to be abandoned). Then they’re those who do manage to escape and the process itself is heart wrenching. Not only must he leave, he must leave a piece of him behind knowing that he can never get it back.

The life of a Gentleman is not an easy one to live and those who are still true to the Order have the odds stack against them. Never before has there been a bigger threat, never before has the Order of Gentlemen faced extinction. But if there is one thing to note about a Gentleman, it is his strength to endure. I do not claim to know the future. What i do know is that Gentlemen still exist. Maybe not in the same number as in the past but regardless, their existence cannot and will not be denied. There is a reason for everything in life. Perhaps it is the destiny of these few brave soul to lead mankind back into the light…the Gentlemen’s rebirth is inevitable.

 

~The Elimist~