The idea of a “Knight of modern times” including honor code has been on my mind for a while and I told a young client about this and then forgot all about it.<\/p>\n
A few weeks ago I was yet again expecting a shipment from Amazon. So I wasn\u00b4t surprised when the doorbell rang and the mailman gave me three little packages. But when I opened them I was bewildered: \u201cThe Alpha-Code? Fitness for real men?? With an introduction by Arnold Schwarzenegger???\u201d (The actual English title is: Man 2.0)<\/p>\n
I clearly had not ordered that book. Did Amazon make a mistake? I looked once more inside the delivery carton and found a note from a dear client of mine who had them send me this book. He wrote, he was thrilled with the \u201cAlpha Code\u201d and in his opinion the book contained a lot of material \u2013 beyond the fitness tipps \u2013 that I should consider in my study concerning the gender roles in our time and future.<\/p>\n
Reluctant and not without prejudice I began reading the book \u2013 but not without quickly googling the American original and realizing: both authors – Adam Bornstein as well as John Romaniello are considered great authorities in the US concerning fitness and bodybuilding and their book sold enough copies fast enough to appear translated on the German market only two years later.<\/p>\n
The book does indeed go far beyond actually quite detailed instructions for fitness \u2013 to the dismay of some and the delight of many readers. It actually offers a psycho-ethic instruction on how to be a guy!<\/p>\n
This means to me: there are still knights out there and much less metaphorical than I ever conceived. For not only as a title of some members of obscure orders and brotherhoods, or in computer games and medieval fairs. Quite independently from knight as a title they existed as an embodiment of chivalry \u2013 and they always did exist<\/p>\n
That knightly virtues are still popular since the middleages through the romantic movement to our present times becomes apparent in the popularity of the Arthurian legends and the Song of Roland \u2013 both began their career of success in the 12th<\/sup> century. As a representative for the \u201chonour code\u201d of a knight here an excerpt from the Song of Roland as I found it on the English website lordandladies.org:<\/p>\n In or the other form these and similar rules have become part of military honour codes (afterall knights initially used to be the soldiers of their lords of league) and of some vows of warrior groups \u2013 however you define them. Depending on their culture also obedience, loyalty and regarding hierarchies were vital and this up to this day \u2013 even though partly adapted. For the times and society have changed in many parts of the world since then. In the Western world \u201cwidows and orphans\u201d are much better taken care of and neither the church, lords of league nor other persons of authority have a similar power. What rules apply then for the \u201curban knight of the contemporary West?\u201d<\/p>\n If you enter \u201calpha rules\u201d instead of knight into the search engines, you will find a number of lists. The most comprehensive and detailed I took from the above mentioned book by Bornstein and Romaniello.<\/p>\n And now for some blog inherent absurdity: as I don\u00b4t have the English language original at hand…<\/p>\n I translated the German text back into English and also summarized it a bit\u2026 Anyone who would prefer the original version can go and get the book!<\/p>\n So here the rules for the modern knight according to the Alpha Code by Bornstein and Romaniello:<\/p>\n 1 Make time for important things\u2026<\/strong> Alphas are willing to sacrifice minor stuff of the major \u2013 even if it means of letting go of some fun.<\/p>\n 2 Look at a problem from all sides to find a solution.<\/strong> Alphas know that sometimes a hammer and sometimes a key is needed.<\/p>\n 3 Accept your ego as a mechanism for more confidence<\/strong> \u2013 but always listen and be willing to learn.<\/p>\n 4 Become clear about the significance of sex\u2026<\/strong>or as the authors write it in their own words. \u201cAlphas f..ck fantastically.\u201d<\/p>\n 5 Say no, when you don\u00b4t like something.<\/strong><\/p>\n 6 Don\u00b4t ask for permission \u2013 ask to be forgiven.<\/strong> (That\u00b4s easier.)<\/p>\n 7 Don\u00b4t criticize a suggestion for which you can\u00b4t offer an alternative.<\/strong><\/p>\n 8 Wear custom-made clothes<\/strong>. A 200 Dollar suit, that fits is better than a 500 Dollar suit that doesn\u00b4t.<\/p>\n 9 Express your affection.<\/strong> Never suppress a compliment if you really mean it\u2026There is never a bad moment to say something nice. Make a habit of saying nice things.<\/p>\n 10 Always reach for your wallet first.<\/strong> Even if you were to be invited. Alphas like to take care of others and don\u00b4t want to owe anything to anybody, but they also don\u00b4t force their will on others, especially not where it concerns money.<\/p>\n 11 React to all insults with a smile\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n 12 Admit your mistakes honestly and with a sense of humor.<\/strong><\/p>\n 13 Take charge\u2026<\/strong> Alphas don\u00b4t wait for suggestions of others\u2026they get things done!<\/p>\n 14\u2026\u201dWho doesn\u00b4t fight has lost already.\u201d<\/strong> Alphas risk things, they enjoy their victories but also accept the lessons from their defeats.<\/p>\n 15 Learn how to cook\u2026<\/strong> Alphas can nourish themselves. That is part of basic human function.<\/p>\n These rules clearly reflect the changes in our times: the modern knight wears a well fitting suit, conquers the market with competence, charm and a healthy sense of self confidence. He can set priorities and knows how to cook\u2026<\/p>\n And what about the knightly virtues? In other words, what made the knight knightly? According to Wikipedia some of the desired features in the high middle ages were: humility, serenity, honour, kindness, politeness, valour, generosity, temperance, reliability, faithfulness, decency, good conduct and during the high time of the Minnesang: hope, service to women and love.<\/p>\n Service to women in that sense is over\u2026and also love we probably interpret differently than our ancestors. And yet some of these ideas also appear in the catalogue of virtues of Bornstein and Romaniello \u2013 albeit in modern terms. (And again, my curious reversed translation\u2026)<\/p>\n I condensed them here again for my purposes:<\/p>\n 1 Helpful \u2013 and not condescending<\/strong><\/p>\n The reader is encouraged to help others in a competent way to help themselves \u2013 so that also the helper profits from the situation.<\/p>\n 2 Selfassured \u2013 and not pompous<\/strong><\/p>\n It\u00b4s about being honest and authentic and to be aware of one\u00b4s personal strengths and weaknesses.<\/p>\n 3 Vain \u2013 and not conceited<\/strong><\/p>\n The reader is encouraged to take care of his appearance and optimize it as far as possible, but to keep in mind that it\u00b4s not our appearance but our conduct that defines us.<\/p>\n 4 Proud \u2013 and not arrogant<\/strong><\/p>\n The reader is to handle his own success wisely.<\/p>\n 5 Modest \u2013 without self hatred <\/strong><\/p>\n A healthy sense of self worth, being aware of one\u00b4s weaknesses and having the courage to overcome these and also a healthy sense of self irony are encouraged!<\/p>\n 6 Tolerant \u2013 and not weak<\/strong><\/p>\n This about the ability to discern, when it\u00b4s worthwhile to take a stand.<\/p>\n 7 Committed \u2013 and not obsessed<\/strong><\/p>\n Goal oriented working \u2013 but with a sense for the right measure and the wellbeing of all!<\/p>\n Reading all this I couldn\u00b4t help but contemplate what men I know and how might be living this or desire to live this\u2026 And the next question: how about women? And myself?<\/p>\n For chivalry is by no means limited to men \u2013 and wasn\u00b4t even in the beginning. For being chivalric was always regarded as a worthy human virtue, even though it grew out of fashion in recent times. But it\u00b4s meaning is still attractive. In both directions: it\u00b4s worthwhile to act chivalric and to be treated chivalric. But this is perhaps only possible if one is somewhat aware of one\u00b4s \u201chouse rules of the mind\u201d and acts accordingly!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The idea of a “Knight of modern times” including honor code has been on my mind for a while and I told a young client about this and then forgot all about it. A few weeks ago I was yet again expecting a shipment from Amazon. So I wasn\u00b4t surprised when the doorbell rang and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1402,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[213],"tags":[250],"class_list":["post-1169","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-essays-en","tag-society"],"yoast_head":"\n\n
Not only knights know these rules<\/h2>\n
Modern rules for knights are n\u00a0 ow sometimes called \u201cAlpha Code\u201d<\/h2>\n
Knightly rules for our time<\/h2>\n
The 7 “Alpha Features”<\/h2>\n
\u00a0Everybody can be chivalric<\/strong><\/h2>\n