Honor and of Shame
Honour is the state of being treated with respect in the community while fame is the state in which a person highly discussed by the community. The two are related in that through achievements that make one famous, and honor is achieved. Society treats a person who is famous with a lot of respect (Nietzsche, 2003). Honour can be achieved through fame and the reason why some individuals are given honour because they are famous and not for their deeds. Fame and honour are also related because they are focused on the perception of the society on an individual.
Praise, on the other hand, is the admiration of someone due to the great achievements that a person makes in life. Praise is associated with offering gifts to individuals for good work. Reputation is defined as the belief of a person that is widespread in the community (Nietzsche, 2003). The relation between praise and reputation is that when a person is praised because of the achievements, the name characteristics of the person become spread and therefore enhancing reputation. An example is when a leader is praised for the good deeds to the people he serves. These praises help in building a reputation.
Honour and Individual’s Life
(a) Sense of Honor and of Shame
The actions of the individuals in their daily life activities are the ones that give a personal sense of honor and shame. Individuals make their choices on these two senses, and those that choose a sense of honor give their loyalty to doing the right thing. Individuals consider honor more than the shame and thin results in them, showing commitment to the good (Beech, 2018, 338-346). They will portray good behaviors of honesty and compassion so that they can be considered honorable by others in the community. Individuals try with all means to avoid a sense of shame by getting involved in doing good deeds. Most of the people in society do not like to be involved with a sense of guilt, and therefore they try so hard to show honesty and integrity. A sense of honor has built the personality of individuals who then contribute to the growth of the society.
(b) Honor as an object of desire and as a factor in virtue and happiness
Honor is achieved because of the desire of a person to be viewed as honorable by the community. Honor being an object of desire, makes the individuals emulate others in the community who are honorable. For example, the young generation gets to imitate others in the community who are considered honorable (Beech, 2018, 338-346). Based on virtue and happiness, honor plays a significant role in ensuring happy lives for individuals. Virtue is defined as the behavior portraying moral standards, and honor has contributed to that. As mentioned earlier, it through the desire to become honorable that the individuals end up showing good moral behaviors in their daily activities.
(c)Honor Due to Self Esteem
The honor due to self-esteem is the phrase that shows that individuals’ self-value makes them get involved in actions that will gain honor. Self-esteem is also profoundly related to honor and mostly in when an individual adheres to honor codes. Individuals with high self-esteem will do things that will improve their honor, and these things as morally related (Beech, 2018, 338-346). There are things that are done to maintain self-esteem, and in this pursuit, the reputation of the individual is built. An example is the issue of chastity that creates recognition of the individuals when they abstain from immoral behaviors until their marriage. Abstinence makes the individuals have self-esteem, and it helps in avoiding until marriage.
(d) Honor or fame as a mode of immortality
Recognition or fame has also played a significant role in the increase of immorality among individuals and to the community.
According to the studies conducted in China and Germany, as presented by the New York Times, there is a thirty percent dream of becoming famous. These individuals think that one can only make in life if they become famous (Carey, 2006). This urge increases the motive to become immoral to become famous. Most of the individuals who have fame in society are the ones who get involved in unethical behaviors.
(e) Honor as the pledge of friendship: the codes of honor among social equals
Honor and friendship is the other aspect discussed in the issue of honor in the life of an individual. Every individual in society requires feeling a sense of belonging from others in the community and, therefore, the need for friendship. Based on this argument, the code of honor requires the members of the community to treat each other with equality. No one should feel superior or inferior compared to the other.
The social realization of honor and fame
(a) The reaction of the community to its good or great men
Social realization of honor and fame is based on two issues which include the reaction of the society towards the individual they consider honorable. The other social realization factor is the conditions of honor and the causes of dishonor (Ferris, et al., 2011). Based on the reactions of the society, the community will always listen to the suggestions of the man they honor and obey them without considering the outcome. Also, the reaction also includes condoning bad behaviors of the individuals even if the actions are unethical.
(b)The conditions of honor or fame and the causes of dishonor or infamy
The other social realization is the conditions of fame which include education and positions in the government, churches and societies. The society gives a perspective towards as individual based on the value they have in the society. Some reasons that are considered by the individuals in the society to honor is due to unethical behaviors like corruption (Sheir et al., 2016, 1163-1188). If individuals get involved in crime, the society treats them in a different manner. Another example of cause of infamy is when an honored person gets involved in drug trafficking as it is perceived to destroy the lives of the young.
Honor in the political community and in government
(a)Honor as a principle in the organization of the state: timocracy and monarchy
The leaders are motivated to get to the government positions so that they can acquire love and honor from the community. Democracy is the motivation by love and in these instances; the needs of the citizens are overlooked (Freeman, 2002). In the pursuit of government leadership, some of these leaders become dictators to lead the countries till their demise just to acquire fame in a principle of monarchy. These individuals believe in fame and they do anything to get to power and gain the fame. The issues of timocracy and monarchy have affected many countries since their seeking for honor makes them get involved in immoral actions to gain power and honor.
(b) The scale of honor in the organization of the state
In the political community, the scale of honor is varied and depends with the ranks of leadership. For instance, a president is given greatest honor compared to other leaders under the president. In the political community leaders who wish to receive great honor invest a lot of resources so that they can get to the position that gives them greater honor. There are those who get into immoral activities like corruption to get to the government position that gives great honor (Freeman, 2002). We have the case of the president of United States understands that the nation is the most developed country and it has honor in the world. The scale of honor makes the leader to struggle to remain in power beside the fact that he has been impeached. He is an example of a political leader who gets in criminal activities to remain in power because of pursuit of honor.
(c) Honor as a political technique: the uses of praise, prestige, public opinion
Honor is also used by the political leaders as a technique for them to make political achievements. Some of these leaders will work with their citizens to gain the public opinion and praises to ensure that they stay in power. Some of these leaders will sincerely meet the needs of the citizens hence improving the public opinion (Freeman, 2002). However, others will pretend to be helping the public community so that they can gain the praises of from the citizens. These political leaders will then get the votes of the citizens based on the praises hence acquiring the honor. Some leaders use the honor technique to continue remaining in power although others may be getting involved in unethical ways.
Honor, fame, and the heroic
(a) Honor as a motivation of heroism
Heroism is that action of an individual that involves risking one’s life so that he can save a person or a country. Some of the people who gain honor because of their heroic acts are the soldiers who put their lives in line to defend and protect the countries. These individuals are motivated by the honor they will acquire after victory and they work hard to achieve victory. Some of these soldiers are recognized by the presidents and other citizens and in pursuit honor, they become heroic (Piccirillo, 2018). Some political leaders get focused of becoming heroes to the community they serve so that they can be respected. The motivation of becoming heroes is the reason why some help the growth of the communities to be considered.
(b) Hero-worship: the exaltation: of leaders
Hero-worship is the other issue that is related to honor fame and heroism. Some leaders look for hero-worship and this situation is highly observed in politics and in churches. There are cases where the citizens consider their leaders as heroes and instead of obeying the leaders, they worship them (Van Atta, 2008). Some leaders who have achieved honor, some leaders have acted as heroes and have made the subordinates to worship. The community do not realize that they are worshipping their leaders and they get to do what they are commanded to do even if it is against the law.
(c) The occasions of heroism in war and peace
There have been occasions in the world in which some individuals have been considered heroes because of the war and peace. Some of these individuals have acquired honor through getting the Nobel Peace Prize. An example of a leader who gained honor through the occasions of war and peace is Nelson Mandera who suffered as he sought to protect the rights of the citizens (Van Atta, 2008). Some leaders have played a role in reducing the impacts of war among countries and promoting peace and therefore have become heroes and gained honor in the universe.
(d)The estimation of the role of the hero in history
In the process of estimating the role of heroes in the history of the United States, honor is granted depending on the role played by the individuals in their heroic actions. The roles of the heroes vary from different perspectives based on saving and protecting the society and making the world better for the society (Van Atta, 2008). Honor is given to these heroes based on the role as perceived by the society. In the history of the United States, there are individuals who have been given the honor even in their absence because of the role they played in the society. An example is the issue of Marxism in which Marx become a hero by bringing people together to make the world a better place.
The idea of glory: its distinction from honor and fame
- The glory of God: the signs and the praise of the divine glory
The supernatural power in this case God is given the greatest honor compared to other powers in the world. Different communities have varied signs and varied praises that they use to show their glory to God. In Darwins work, he stated that the churches show their glory to God through Christ’s body which they share as Christians (Darwin, 2008). The glory can be signified through walking in the glory, praying for the glory and preparations for the glory. Some of the signs of the glory include miracles that occur in the world that signifies the glory of God as the Supernatural power. Singing, praying, making testimonies are some of the ways in which churches praise the glory of God.
- The reflected glory of angels, saints, and martyrs
In the today’s society, the glory of angels, martyrs and saints who are highly respected in the community is evident. In the Roman Anglican, there is a feast of Saint Michael and all angles that are used to give thanks to God. These saints, angels and martyrs are considered pure and holy and this perspective is viewed in many churches today (The Roman Anglican, 2016). Some of the churches today are named after these saints and angels to show the respect that they are given. These are respected as heavenly creatures that are holy and should be shown glory. They are remembered through feasts as they are a way of glorifying God. Martyrs reflection shows how these individuals suffered because of their faith and it is reflected through the Christians bearing the suffering for the sake of faith.