Every day, you are exposed to thousands of bits of advertising about things you never knew existed, but now cannot live without. Why? Psychology refers to it as projection, identification and transference--taking those things of meaning on the inside, and attaching them to things on the outside, that others control.
I have come to learn that the younger generations, particularly in Western societies, lack these qualities. I mean, why take a direct approach, when you can sneak around people's backs, whispering and passing notes, as you work to make your plans against someone? This has become the modus operandi of our "civilized" society. Forgotten, have we, that Nature will give you what you ask for--and if you want to play, "I've Got a Secret", you will get a society that is based on hidden agendas, secret brotherhoods and underground governments. So don't complain about it--you should be happy, as you got what you asked for.
People talk of honor and common sense, yet seldom exhibit it. This may be because they have never been exposed to it, so they do not actually understand the concepts.
Regarding common sense, I would recommend a read of Thomas Paine's book, "Common Sense," for he was a man that had plenty of it--which was used by the "Founding Fathers" of these United States as the basis of our Constitution.
To understand honor, examine its history: What is Honor?
Nerdy Sci-Fi reference included for Andrew.The Imaginative Conservative wrote:There was a time in days gone by when honor was the driving force behind the life of every great, good, and decent man. Every action of his hand, every thought that found its way from the mind to the mouth and past the lips, every motivation for every endeavor worthy of his undertaking—they were all of them dictated by a man’s inborn sense honor, and aimed at either bolstering that honor which already existed, or else at reclaiming that which through some misfortune had been lost. Honor has for a millennium been the central point in the stories we read to our children in the hope that they too will grow to live honorably. Men and women of valor would slay the dragon, defeat the witch, overthrow or subvert the evil king, all in the name of fulfilling their sense of honor.
Not relegated to our fairy tales only, honor is also found in all of the great stories of history, both told and untold. Men and women of honor speak to the soul; they speak to that which in every living human is real and true. The reason for this is because honor, whatever it is determined to be, is itself honest, good, beautiful, and true. Man honors God, the prophets, and his parents. He honors his promises, his vows, his laws, and his debts. He honors his athletes, scholars, and the myriad other high achievers in our society.
What, then, is honor? What follows below is a look at various ideas of honor through the ages, followed by what honor in its present state means for mankind, and finally a few concluding thoughts. This is, regrettably, only a primer on the issue and is hardly a comprehensive work.
