The English language is an ever evolving thing. As each new
generation defines itself, it often adds new words and phrases
to popular speech, while discarding others at the same time.
Although these cast-aside items may still exist in the dictionary,
for all intents and purposes they may just as well have been
banished to the dilithium mines of some desolate galactic
outpost. For example, my word processor, which has clearly
never seen even a single episode of Star Trek, has just informed
me that "dilithium" (crystals of which have been
known to power famous star ships) is not a legitimate word.
So it is with honor, both the word and the concept. There
was a time when entire societies were built upon the foundation
of this single notion. Today, however, should you happen to
be one of those antiquated folks who still use the word in
everyday speech, you'll more often than not draw curious stares.
In less polite circles, they may even ask what planet you're
from and why you talk funny. It's not that people don't understand the concept when you
bring it up. Rather, like so many other bits of the English
language, the term has simply fallen out of favor in our modern
society. In the business world, ethics is the currently fashionable
equivalent. However, it just doesn't seem to convey the same
feeling. When people speak of a person's honor, it's often a shorthand
reference to their "code of honor", and this may
offer a little insight into why it's not as trendy as it once
was. The idea of a personal code of moral and ethical behavior,
a matter of extreme importance to the individual, is something
that we seem to have lost in our everyday lives. The reason
in part lies in the last fifty or sixty years of American
history.
At the time of the Second World War, there was a strong belief
in American values and the nobility of our culture. Superman
was the champion of "truth, justice and the American
way". American ingenuity was a source of national pride,
and the American dream the motivation for thousands of emigrants.
In short, we believed in what America stood for.
The black and white TV sitcoms of the fifties painted a simplistic,
benevolent and utopian view of our daily lives, so perhaps
it's only natural that we felt betrayed when Vietnam, Watergate,
the civil rights movement and a president who was "not
a crook" were thrown in our faces. Suddenly, it became
trendy to believe that everything we stood for was a lie.
Cynicism became our watchword, and from that time forward,
anyone who spoke in terms of truth, justice and the American
way was considered a naïve individual desperately clinging
to corny, outmoded ideals. Honor, the very cornerstone of
American values, became a casualty of the times. And yet, honor is not a new or uniquely American concept.
It reaches across the globe and throughout the vast expanses
of human history. As long as the weak are protected by the
strong, fairness and honesty are required in all interactions,
and higher values are more important than personal gain, honor
will continue to be demonstrated by men and women of noble
ideals everywhere. It is not naive, nor is it an outdated
concept. In today's increasingly complex world, what could
possibly be more relevant?
Do you have a personal code of honor by which you live? Is
it so ingrained and well defined that you could write it down
and share with others? It's a worthwhile exercise. When your
values can be expressed in such detail, you may find that
the concept of living with honor is not so corny after all.
When you treat people well, you make friends. When you stand
up for what is right, you gain respect. What greater reasons
are there to live with honor?
Christopher Duncan is the best selling author of Unite
the Tribes and The Career Programmer. In addition to his seminars,
he's a popular speaker and frequent guest on radio shows across
the country. He's currently working to improve companies and
careers nationwide through his work with the Campaign for
American Excellence. To contact Christopher, visit http://www.PracticalStrategyConsulting.com
