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Chivalry-Now,
An Overview
Variations
of the warrior ethic have existed throughout history and can be found in all cultures.
The warrior was valued as the community’s protector from outside
attack. He was expected to be brave, strong, clever and honest –
a good foundation for any ethic. As time went on, these qualities
expanded both in depth and application, contributing to the cultural
values around them.
In the West we see heroic examples of these values
in myth, song, epic poems, historical legends, and social hierarchy,
where warriors formed an elite class with special obligations and
privileges. Europe became a virtual melting pot of Greek, Roman,
Celtic and Germanic warrior traditions.
During the High Middle Ages, these traditions
became more formalized and refined, reflecting Christian influences.
Contact with the Middle East introduced further dimension, along
with a reclaiming of Greek heritage that was previously lost.
The result was a warrior code known as chivalry
which defined the beliefs and behavior of knights. This code was
considered so admirable, that much of it was utilized to form the
Western concept of a gentleman.
While the code was popularly understood through
the transmission of literature and song, it was never formalized
into a single code. As it became more and more identified with the
manners of a gentleman, it lost some of its fundamental meaning.
This was exacerbated by the coming of the Industrial Age, which
changed the relationships between fathers and sons, breaking the
traditional means of cultural transmission. Although chivalry maintained
a certain appeal, it became disconnected from its philosophical
depth. Eventually, it was reduced to being equated with a quaint
veneer of courtesy and manners, especially toward women, rather
than a complete personal ethic. Instead of evolving with the times,
it fell into stagnation.
The purpose of Chivalry-Now is to reclaim
this philosophical depth in order to heal our ailing culture. Even
a cursory examination reveals how today’s male ethics are in
sharp decline. Chivalry-Now offers a way to change this by
articulating a new chivalry appropriate for the times. It does not
consider itself an end-all, but rather a foundation upon which to
build. By incorporating valuable lessons learned since the fall
of chivalry, it presents something uniquely valid for our current
needs.
Chivalry-Now is chivalry evolved.
The following presents a short outline of what that evolution included.
From the Age of Enlightenment, which gave
birth to the modern mind, it incorporates the imperative of free
thought and personal discovery as vital ingredients of the knightly
quest. Nature’s Law is not just a legal reference, but a fusion
of thought and conscience that frees the individual into a more
authentic life. Reason replaces superstition, giving new vitality
and applicability to virtue. Value is given to tradition, but does
not limit us. Virtue is recognized for its own intrinsic value as
part of human nature, not just a response to reward and punishment.
From here we glean respect for citizen government, democracy, free
speech, civil rights and aspirations toward equality. Nature becomes
something we learn from, rather than fear.
The Romantic Age gave us a look into the
Mystery of life and nature. Whereas the Enlightenment approached
nature clinically, Romantics focused on reverence and awe, which
Chivalry-Now affirms as a vital part of the individual’s
quest. Enlightenment and Romance are not opposites, as many claim,
but dimensions of human complexity that complement our confrontation
of the world.
Existentialism gained popularity in Europe
after the unprecedented devastation of World War II. Survivors had
to grapple with the absurdity of life that arose from the inhumanity
of blitzkrieg, Auschwitz and Hiroshima. Human depravity challenged
the nobility of human nature with new and efficient machinations
for killing. Totalitarian and fascist regimes sharply contended
with the ideals of freedom and liberal democracy that were still
being tested. Traditions were exploited. Nationalism displaced common
decency. Whatever positive image we had of human nature became lost
in the carnage.
Existentialism offered a means to reclaim human
dignity by focusing on the individual and human choice. It told
us not to passively accept the unconscious choices that shape our
lives. We need to resist the homogenizing influences that society
poses, not only of totalitarian and fascist regimes, but of political
ideologies and commercialism as well. We are then able to create
who we are, which is the essence of freedom. This gives us the means
to survive the distractions and coercions of modern society with
dignity. The insanity of racism, sexism, nationalism, communism,
and all the other “isms” need not define us. When they
do, we become mere products, and are not free.
Jungian psychology shows how the quest,
long recognized in myth and legend, remains central to who we are
as human beings. It opens doors into our subconscious in order to
learn from and appreciate mythical archetypes that we all share.
The characters from medieval literature, from which chivalry sprang,
describe aspects of our personalities that fortify us when we understand
them. In short, the idea of the quest becomes a psychological journey
that brings with it abundant life.
Feminism raised awareness of the sexist
attitudes that were endemic in Western culture despite the prevailing
belief in freedom, justice, equal rights and fairness. Feminism
freed us from our own philosophical hypocrisy and made partnership
between the genders more equitable.
Chivalry-Now derives its power through
all these elements, and more. It can be considered conservative
in that it preserves what is best from the past and from tradition,
and approaches change with reasonable caution. It is liberal in
that it promotes free thought, refuses to preserve what is wrong,
and embraces change that is necessary and beneficial. It relies
on common sense, and sense that is not so common – in other
words, the complete psyche of a complete person.
What we call the quest is a process
or attitude toward life through which personal completeness is achieved.
It confronts every moment with a willingness to learn and respond
to life directly. From this we gain the kind of authenticity that
puts us in control of our lives.
In
order to help us on our individual quests we have compiled a code
of ethics drawn from the heart of chivalry called the 12 Trusts.
Here we find an updated, nonsectarian expression of chivalry that
is appropriate for today’s needs:
Upon
my honor,
- I will
develop my life for the greater good.
- I will
place character above riches, and concern for others above personal
wealth.
- I will
never boast, but cherish humility instead.
- I will
speak the truth at all times, and forever keep my word.
- I will
defend those who cannot defend themselves.
- I will
honor and respect women, and refute sexism in all its guises.
- I will
uphold justice by being fair to all.
- I will
be faithful in love and loyal in friendship.
- I will
abhor scandals and gossip-neither partake nor delight in them.
- I will
be generous to the poor and to those who need help.
- I will
forgive when asked, that my own mistakes will be forgiven.
- I will
live my life with courtesy and honor from this day forward.
By
adhering to these 12 Trusts, I swear to partake in the living
Quest in everything I do.
While the web
site and book provide ample introduction to Chivalry-Now,
those who wish a fuller understanding of its cultural depth can
find much more to learn. Companions are given access to Esoterica,
teachings that include such concepts as Nature’s Law,
reason, kairos (an event that transforms
human consciousness), aletheia (truth), areté
(the greatest good), grail consciousness, ordo mundi (our
relationship with nature), and telos (our inherent
purpose and meaning).
That Chivalry-Now will continue to develop over time is reasonably
assumed. Stagnation is the demise of any philosophy. Life is change.
As the world changes, we must respond appropriately, preserving
what is best, not through shortsighted resistance, but as participants
who are cognizant of the flux of time.
It
does well to think that our individual quests are part of a greater
Quest for human development.
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