Saturday 1 December 2012

The Traits of a Honorable Man




What makes a honorable man? What makes him a Gentleman? Is it what he wears and how he treads ? or is it how he behaves or how he acts upon? What differentiates him from a sensible man and what what makes him an exotic species?  Is it great deeds and illuminated decorations that weigh down upon his chest? Or is it the fancy cars and the opulence of his living? Is it majestic orations or his conduct that is watched upon with much awe? What makes him an honorable man? What makes him a gentleman?



For starters, one thing we could say with much certainty is that neither fame or money nor power plays any significant role in making a man honorable. Though I admit there are a few powerful, rich gentlemen out there who are so famous, they alone doesn't make a man honorable. Honor comes not form the chastised vaults of great treasure or by flimsy pathways of glitter and glamour and the eternal stutter of the snapping shutters. To stand testimonial to this claim of mine I have an innumerable array of people who has disappointed utterly and disgraced themselves publicly. A list that ranges from drunken celebrities to brainless bureaucrats who has been caught with their pants down or their hands down the cookie jar. So if it is not money, fame or power that brings honor then what does? 


Many may argue that its education that would bring honor to men. But I cant but help disagree. though I would not completely nullify its contributions in making a man a  honorable one I cant tell that education alone will make one honorable. had that been the case the earth must be by now over flowing with honorable men. We don't see that right? What we see is great and educated men making a big ass of themselves in public and private. They get inflicted by the devils gene no matter how many degrees and scholarships they hold. Even those that appear to be honorable in their collared lives flutter when the corporate facets come off. So what is that, that beyond education that is required to instill honor in a human being. 


May be its wisdom, but what is wisdom? is wisdom a form of realization or is it the cumulative experience of years and years of  the perils of human life. Wisdom is not a quantifiable quality of human nature, but its a n abstract word that represents a greater level of learning. A level of learning that cant be understood by none other than the wise and that can only be admired and observed in awe. 


The heights by great men reached and kept were not attained by sudden flight, but they, while their companions slept, were toiling upward in the night. 


I believe what makes a man honorable has much to do with wisdom and realization but not completely. There is something more that is necessary to make him the complete man. That something is love, compassion and an array of such subtle but vehement feelings. To be a honorable man takes more that just a long beard and a pair of round glasses, it takes a feeling of universal belonging and consideration for others. It takes the ability to make the right decision and to adherence to the truth and righteousness. It take sense  and sensitivity to another man's feelings and the coherent ability to understand others pain and suffering  this together makes a man honorable and this is why the remain and forever will remain an exotic species and among men they will always walk tall and elusively. 

5 comments:

  1. A great post!.

    It takes a lifetime to earn the name honourable man!. But when one want to be honourable, it is a way of life. Education, money , fame have nothing to do with that. We can find them all over. In their deeds and thought they stand out! And whenever I meet them, my head bows,a nd I let them also know how much I appreciate them. I can only do that!

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    1. That truly is the way to treat a honorable man. We seldom finds one and when we do find one we must appreciate him and acknowledge him. That's the least we could do in the presence of greatness.

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  2. True True True True!!!! You spoke my thoughts which I never managed to put into words because I was afraid of the sheer depth I need to stare into while distinguishing between 'who the world generally thinks is a gentleman' and 'who really is a gentleman'. *Takes a bow*. Wonderful!

    Black and White Heart

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  3. Good post! Your thoughts are deep and true, you notice things in a different angle. You make good analysis on different subjects and present them very well. Liked the way you defined the traits of a honorable man.

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come on! scribble down whats in your heart!