Have you noticed that there's an old fashioned word that you almost never see in print or hear on the media these days? It's a concept that people used to be willing to die to uphold. It's an ideal that used to guide the actions of all civilized men and women. The word is "honor." It used to be, a man's word was his bond. People sealed deals with handshakes, not lawyers. If someone said he/she would do something, it was done. It was a matter of honor.
Webster's dictionary (yes, I still have one and use it) says, in part, "having or showing a sense of right and wrong; characterized by honesty and integrity; upright"...
Today, it's as if this concept never existed, except in the military. And maybe the Boy/Girl Scouts. Today, if you invite someone to your house for dinner or a party, and they accept, they may or may not show up. If you stay home from work to meet a repairman, they may or may not come. Or may show up several hours late. Employees call in sick when they're not, or just don't show up for work. You don't hear politicians bring up the word. Husbands/wives, boyfriends/girlfriends, often betray their mates. It seems that we really have to know someone well to be able to trust him/her. And even then, you can sometimes be betrayed. So, my question is, can a society without the ideal of honor continue to exist? I see the chaos that happens when trust goes out the window, both in society and our government. I'm wondering if we will survive this next decade.
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