#cullenites

“Men are pigs”, or so goes the lazy insult. That is true for some undoubtedly, but not for most. [“The Dawn Will Come” instrumental begins playing in the background.] Me Too and the intellectual glitterati demand that men discard their past treatment of women and forge a new code defining 21st century masculinity - a fair, necessary demand. But what is that new code? Do we simply surrender ourselves to the caricature of the feminist left, binding ourselves to a permanent state of moral reparations where our engagement is merely one of acknowledge expressed shame for the inequities of centuries of patriarchy? If so, count me among the unconverted. That band can preach elsewhere. I believe in stark contrast to the conceit that only subjugation and male guilt should emerge out of our current gender conflict - that the new paradigm must allow for men to respect women and themselves. Lacking that essential self respect, peace and prosperity between men and women will not be at hand, and it can be. Because adjurable, and indeed ancient code exists and draws on the best of traditional masculinity while still affording women the dignity and respect they deserve. That is the chivalric code.

The term chivalry is deeply ingrained in our vernacular, but I suspect few understand its origins. the chivalric code is an informal, varying code of conduct developed at the turn of the thirteenth century. Yet, chivalry has been killed. Nevertheless, I am praying for its resurrection because this medieval bequest (?) speaks to a primary dilemma the modern world faces: How can men and women, who are profoundly different from one another, be equals?

Chivalry, in its elegance and humility, can assist us in squaring that circle. In conceding to that psychological fact that we are not the same while nonetheless embracing our differences in the spirit of equality. What does, or should, chivalry look like today? The modern locution is a gentleman. That is what we should be. Gentlemen, to ourselves and to the women whose paths we cross and whose lives we impact. This code may sound utopian, but it is not. Rather, it is a way forward. One where both sexes can exercise fidelities to their own needs, but not at the expense of the other. Chivalry is more than a thought experiment. it is a manner of existing for we as men can honor both women and ourselves.

But be forewarned... these are treacherous waters we are entering. Yet together, we can hoist the colors high. Discover the gold. Bring that horizon. Instill the code.

[#TheCode is written at the top of the screen, the words “HMS Respondent” appear in the middle of the screen]

The maiden voyage HMS respondent. The manifest is filling up. The woman-ifest is filling up too. Join me, for this new adventure. Like, Follow, Subscribe. Plenty of flack against cancel culture. (?)

[”Outlaw Social Murder” is now written at the top of the screen after cycling from #MenToo and #TheCode]

Shout down the bigots, the defamers, the childish name-callers. Stand up to the reputation-savages! Instill the code. We too. Men too.

Greg [referring to self in third-person] has been busy recording voice-over for the next installment for a certain franchise video game. His NDA keeps him from revealing the game, although I’m sure you can probably guess which one *chuckle*. Having been involved with a few billlion-dollar franchise trilogies in his career [IMDB images of Greg Ellis show up briefly], I’m reminded how developing a new installment can have its challenges. Particularly after the first three made billions of dollars in profits.

One of the greatest hurdles is keeping the creative team that made the first trilogy such a success together, intact. Just ask Disney, Jerry Bruckheimer, and Johnny Depp about how difficult it was to agree on terms to make the fourth Pirates of the Caribbean movie.

(8:32) Justice. Nobility. Integrity. Justice for Johnny Depp [text appears center of screen “#JusticeForJohnnyDepp”].

Sometimes there are external forces pressuring a studio, as was recently the case when Disney’s decision to cancel Jack Sparrow from the next installment of Pirates of the Caribbean. Johnny Depp, who Greg worked with for over a decade on four of the five Pirates of the Caribbean films, was accused by Amber Heard of terrible behavior [image of Johnny Depp appears to the right]. Not long ago, Depp finally responded, alleging Heard had got the truth exactly backward. Similarly Brad Pitt, who Greg worked with in "Mr and Mrs Smith", was accused by Angelina Jolie of criminally-abusing their son, Maddox... But he was eventually exonerated.

Other friends and acquaintances have also been through high profile cancellation trouble including Jeffrey Rush who worked with Johnny and Greg on the Pirates movies. These celebrity stories are easy to dismiss as the bad behavior of "The Privileged". But in truth, they show that no one is immune to the vapid cancel cries of "All. Men. Bad!"

(9:49) Over three years ago, Greg signaled his support of JD [Acronym for Johnny Depp] tweeting, "I stand beside Johnny Depp" after Amber Heard's attempted reputation-savaging of Johnny. Greg also came out in public support of Johnny during his libel case with The Sun newspaper as he, like many others, believed Amber Heard lied.