A heart that bows to no one but my love
By NEVAEH KARRAKER— nakarraker@ucdavis.edu
To all those weary of modern dating,
We, the hopeless romantics, pronounce that the world is in a state where chivalry is dead. Standards have been reduced so much that people accept the absolute bare minimum from their partner. Society today has normalized hookup culture, meaningless swipes and transient texts that strip away the profoundness of love. An act of courtesy — like opening a door — has become a delusion of genuine affection.
Although we hopeless romantics can agree that small gestures form healthy, strong relationships, modern portrayals lack these aspects. Too many new movies are structured entirely around whose house to sleep in; They preach the pursuit of instant gratification. In novels, slow-burn romance is gentle and intense — and it is even more so in real life.
This lack of chivalry has consequently distorted Valentine’s Day. While effort should come from both sides in a relationship, this holiday should not be founded in intimacy — love is not equivalent to lust.
Videos are floating around of people wishing that dating standards could revert to how they once were, back in the 20th century. Instead of dating apps, a touching phone call would lead to deep conversations and meaningful connections. Instead of a summer fling, a steadily blooming love story infused with patience and peace. A cheesy ‘90s romance movie rather than a Netflix single, where love is more than just physical attraction.
But why stop there? Let’s take it a step further: For those that yearn for grand gestures — a Jane Austen romance, a soft love worth fighting a war for, slaying dragons — the era of knights and poetry must return. Let’s expand Valentine’s Day beyond a short-lived, convenient indulgence to a lifelong, enduring love: a medieval romance.
Bring back courtship of gallant deeds, where knights prove their loyalty and affection through valor and honor. Bring back dances beneath moonlit rivers, where lovers’ feet leave a trail of their hushed promises in the soil like blooming flowers. Bring back poetic looks of love, those silent glances brimming with emotion. Bring back handwritten letters soaked in words of integrity and sealed with the warmth of a steadfast heart beating only to the rhythm of pure fondness and commitment.
There’s something incredibly intimate about those little moments, for love is not an irresolute, inconsistent feeling but a sincere action.
For the women, imagine being adorned in royal colors and elegant dresses and, for the men, suited in armor with a sword at their hip — a literal knight in shining armor, prepared to protect and provide with their undeviating devotion. A woman, capable of graceful strength and independence yet deserving of a man who makes her feel safe and cherished — who gives her a crown of reverence. They stand as equals, forming a covenant unbroken by evil or temptation.
If you want to help revive love to its true glory, please sign this document.
Yours faithfully,
All the hopeless romantics of the modern world
Written by: Nevaeh Karraker—nakarraker@ucdavis.edu
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by individual columnists belong to the columnists alone and do not necessarily indicate the views and opinions held by The California Aggie.
