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Walter Lippmann, the writer, reporter, and political commentator once said, “He has honor if he holds himself to an ideal of conduct though it is inconvenient, unprofitable, or dangerous to do so”. Today, honor is defined in a plethora of ways. We’ve seen many interpretations of it from movies, television, books, and even through the actions of people close to us. But what does it truly mean? According to Merriam-Webster, Honor is defined as high respect, esteem, or privilege. On the other hand, honor not only means to have high respect or esteem, but to have the bravery to do what is right. There are several views of honor, and in today’s society there is a popular idea that “honor is dead”, but more accurately, it is harder to act upon. Honor’s meaning has also changed over time, and its definition is a poor reflection of its true depth because the origin and history further prove that to conduct yourself with honor is to not cower in the moment and do what is right.
Honor has a diverse history, but it originates from the Old French word onor meaning dignity, position; victory, triumph, and is further derived from the Latin word honorem meaning dignity, office, or reputation. The definition of honor, while correct is not completely accurate. It doesn’t capture the same essence that the writers and warriors of old based their lives and works on. “‘Honor’ as our forebears understood it consisted of two parts: respect from the honor group (horizontal honor) and praise from the honor group (vertical honor)” (Brett 4). Horizontal Honor was based on three premises: a code of honor, an honor group (a group that has committed to a life of honor), and shame. Horizontal Honor is an all-or-nothing game, in which have your group’s respect or not. Dishonoring yourself or not meeting the requirements of the group means excommunication from the group and disgracing yourself. Vertical Honor goes together with Horizontal Honor but is based on a set
Walter Lippmann, the writer, reporter, and political commentator once said, “He has honor if he holds himself to an ideal of conduct though it is inconvenient, unprofitable, or dangerous to do so”. Today, honor is defined in a plethora of ways. We’ve seen many interpretations of it from movies, television, books, and even through the actions of people close to us. But what does it truly mean? According to Merriam-Webster, Honor is defined as high respect, esteem, or privilege. On the other hand, honor not only means to have high respect or esteem, but to have the bravery to do what is right. There are several views of honor, and in today’s society there is a popular idea that “honor is dead”, but more accurately, it is harder to act upon. Honor’s meaning has also changed over time, and its definition is a poor reflection of its true depth because the origin and history further prove that to conduct yourself with honor is to not cower in the moment and do what is right.
Honor has a diverse history, but it originates from the Old French word onor meaning dignity, position; victory, or triumph, and is further derived from the Latin word honorem meaning dignity, office, or reputation. The definition of honor, while correct is not completely accurate. It doesn’t capture the same essence that the writers and warriors of old based their lives and works on. “‘Honor’ as our forebears understood it consisted of two parts: respect from the honor group (horizontal honor) and praise from the honor group (vertical honor)” (Brett 4). Horizontal Honor was based on three premises: a code of honor, an honor group (a group that has committed to a life of honor), and shame. Horizontal Honor is an all-or-nothing game, in which have your group’s respect or not. Dishonoring yourself or not meeting the requirements of the group means excommunication from the group and disgracing yourself. Vertical Honor goes together with Horizontal Honor but is based on a set hierarchy and competition. The man who lives by the code of honor the best receives the most recognition. Back then the law was not being strictly enforced, honor was the moral force governing the tribe, ensuring that everybody was doing their task. Honor was what motivated these people to stick to the law. The more honor one has, the higher their social standing. “If they showed courage and mastery, they were honored as men (horizontal honor), and with that honor came the privileges of being a full member of the tribe” (Brett 6). This shows that honor is not only having integrity but bravery to do what is right. In the past, honor was an important deciding factor in your life, and people based their lives on those very ideals. Based on the word, honor, a man with it is brave in the face of adversity and shows integrity to his fellow man.
Honor in today’s modern world has changed greatly. Some might even say that honor is dead. In an interview by the journalism organization, Merrion West, Dr. Tamler Sammons, Philosophy professor at the University of Houston says, “When modern life became large, industrialized, and largely anonymous, the environment for honor as a value to flourish was no longer conducive. It’s hard to care about your reputation when we interact with people in this anonymous way where nobody knows who you are” (Thompson 1). Through the internet and social media, people have several ways to connect with the rest of the world. Although it gives people a platform to communicate their thoughts effectively, it gives them a certain sense of anonymity too, which has it good and bad. Meaning that people can create a fake identity and reinvent themselves anytime to be someone they are not. Using this new identity people can comment on whatever they want and not worry about the repercussions of it; However, honor is effective in smaller groups. In smaller groups, it is easier to track what people do and hold them accountable for their actions. Through that train of thought, it is shown that honor is not dead. Honor today is more of a foundation of your personality, which is a product of your environment like your friends and family. A code of honor is what people base their lives on.
Honor is defined as recognition for someone’s achievements or a sign of respect, but it also means to be brave and step when the need arises. Today’s society has abandoned honor, but that isn’t necessarily true because, on a smaller scale, honor plays a big role personality-wise. In the past, honor was something important and decided your social standing. People based their lives on it and lived on a code of honor that constituted being brave and having integrity. With its profound history, the textbook definition gives a good general idea, but ultimately cannot capture its true meaning in a few words. Honor is something that is built up through the culmination of the different aspects of a person’s life.
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