HAS NOBILITY A PURPOSE IN THE XXI CENTURY?
No. Or maybe yes. It depends on what you understand for or were told about nobility.
If your idea of a nobleman is a puppet of some French king, a courtier living in Versailles with the sole aim of pleasing the Monarch, so he can be bestowed with additional titles ... the answer is clearly NO. Courtiers were the degenerated product of decadent times. But let's first understand that nobility is not given by a King --he may (or may not) publicly recognize it. As the XI Count of Lemos said, only God and Time confer nobility.
What is nobility then? Simply put, a free person who knows himself. After all, that's what the Latin term noscibilis means. Ask yourself the following questions:
Are you a free and independent person? Are you in command of your mind and body? Do you understand your responsibilities and accept the consequences of your free acts?
Are you a moral person? Can you distinguish between good and evil? Do you wish to transmit and inspire this set of principles, values and virtues to your family?
Are you a civic person? Do you constantly strive for becoming a better human being? Do you actively engage in activities to improve your country and mankind?
Examine yourself honestly. If you are able to answer positively, without any reservations, to each of the previous questions, there is no doubt: You are a true nobleman / noblewoman. You may not have a coat of arms, or a palace, or a drop of royal blood, but you have what's most precious to a nobleman: Honor. Make no mistake: More often than not, you will find many examples of people who claim noble descend, who even hold a nobility title, but are not true noblemen. A King cannot make a nobleman, for the same reason that he cannot make a good person. Only God and Time can do that.
Why Time?: Just like individuals, families grow up to acquire maturity, confidence and an identity of its own. You may not have an impressive pedigree, but most likely your family has transmitted through generations an inheritance of spiritual values. These high moral standards are deeply engraved in your mind and soul. They prevent you from engaging in low and denigrating activities. They lead you to be a virtuous person and a 'society builder'. Think of these pairs: Julius Caesar and Augustus, the Duke of Marlborough and Winston Churchill. Each of them faced and overcame crises which shaped the World. They could have yielded back like many of their countrymen, but a time-transmitted moral rectitude had taught them to do otherwise. When making their stand against tyranny, they were answering the call of their family and ancestors. You will find instances of people inspired by ancestors' memory in the field of Arts (Mozart), Science (Bernoulli), Politics (Kennedy), Military (McCain) ...
Why God?: Sometimes, history surprises us with amazing personalities who, defying every odd and adversity, triumphantly become an example for the whole humanity and generations to come. Think of Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King, Mother Theresa of Calcutta. Their background was not the ideal, and yet they excelled in human quality beyond any expectation. No King ever granted them a title, but if you don't think of these men and women as noble, you must review your beliefs about the concept.
Over the centuries, God-sent people have illuminated the World, starting with their families. They have inspired millions of contemporaries, their immortal memory is transmitted generation through generation for centuries, their goodness is cherished by their descendants. Noblesse oblige, thus their children are bounded by their example. No true descendant from such people would put himself/herself in a shameful position, knowing they will meet their ancestors in the afterlife.
If you believe that a good father/mother can have a positive influence in a child, and so in a grandchild, and so in a great-grandchild ... then YES, nobility has a purpose in the XXI century.