I think to understand what is honor, we have to bring in the concept of self. The self is important to oneself and it expects to be accorded importance by other selves. Civilization has inured us all to accord to each other the importance that first of all is endemic to the self that everyone is.
Honor is the importance demanded by oneself for oneself and demanded by a self from other selves. And there are all kinds of importance, as there are all kinds of worth and merit founded upon material resources and moral stations and offices, and achievements.
How is importance shown by a self to oneself? By oneself attending to all the needs and wants of self: to continue in existence, to keep alive, well, and freed of stress. Self does not show honor to self, if it does not attend to all things important to meet his own needs and wants. Thus, a person without self-honor will not even bother to groom himself.
Next, how is honor or importance shown by oneself to other selves? By recognizing the entitlement that oneself demands of oneself to exist, to keep alive, to stay well, and to be freed of stress, namely, that other selves also have that entitlement. Thus, the primordial honor or importance a self can and should give to another self is to show his awareness of the other self’s presence: a simple look is enough, the opposite is to snub him; snubbing is the primordial dishonor.
Communicating one’s awareness of another person’s presence, that is to honor him, and it is due to everyone, if we would be civilized. Didn’t the Master enjoin that we must greet even our enemies?
Now, let’s apply our concept of honor to some phrases where the word ‘honor’ is used:
“Your honor”, in addressing a judge, means I admit and profess your importance.
“Your word of honor” means the word is important to me and it should be important to you; you would not be giving yourself and me the importance that is due to both of us if you don’t make good your word.
”In honor of . . . ‘ means to admit and profess the importance of whomever or whatever the honor is directed to.
Continue thinking up other phrases where the word ‘honor’ is used, and you will see that my mini-dissertation of what honor is makes perfect sense (modesty aside).
Susma Rio Sep