Gentlemanliness
That which is gentle is inwardly strong essentially. Indians are god-fearing. Their behavior was in reference to God. Even the king must justify his action by Dharma. Europeans are equally god-fearing, but in their daily life their point of reference is more the cultured society than god. Gentlemanliness is a value conceived by the European aristocracy and mainly practiced by them. The landed property made them rich and the excellent classical education they got at home enabled them to look life through the strength of their property and the Truth of their education.
- Uneducated landowner was a brute.
- The educated landowner had lost the crudities of the physically earned wealth.
- Goodness is born by the blending of Truth and Knowledge.
- Such goodness has an inner urge to be soft and gentle.
It is said that the Englishman values good reputation more than material gain. He gave up his Colonies almost voluntarily for that reason. British investment in India rose after 1947 when India became free. Aristocracy that wanted to consolidate its social power created the gentleman. His essential value was honor, to honor the plighted word. Physicality knows to conquer and dominate another by physical liquidation. The aristocrat learned that one can secure the greater support of another by being true, honored and right. This conception spread all over Europe. In England it became an article of faith. Its repository was the King. The acme of this value was
- The king can do no wrong.
- Education broadened mental vision.
- He began to view the world from the other man's point of view.
- Socially the gentleman endeavored to consciously please another in his transactions with him. Its culmination was he behaved in giving as if he was taking.
- He would not bring himself to utter anything that would cause pain to another.
- His word is inviolate.
- He respects the women and stands up on her entering.
- Punctuality is one of his virtues, as he does not want anyone to wait for him.
- Thus he has learned to express anything positively.
- He could not bring himself to ask for a favor nor would he accept gifts that are not his due.
- In Europe this has also come to be known after a fashion as being a good Christian.
- In public behavior it led to his standing in queue waiting for his turn.