Honor and Idiocy
I thought I'd take a moment to say a few more words about how I see honor in a broad view and in terms of my writing. Of course, I can't talk about honor in a broad view unless I mention the main thing that stands against honor (if such a thing is possible), idiocy.
First, some definitions. Honor, we know, or know enough to just start talking about it. Idiot, on the other hand, has an interesting definition. That is "one who makes sense only to themselves." I take that as the term quite literally. That way, being an idiot is as easy as being moral or happy--anyone can do it.
Why do I say these things are at odds, you may ask? In my mind, honor requires a degree of relatability to others. Other people have to recognize honor when confronted with it, even if they don't agree with that honor. An idiot... well, idiots only make sense to themselves.
When people see idiots, they dismiss them and their opinions. Why? Because it's assumed that those opinions aren't worth worrying about and have no bearing on "the real world" or "logic." The honorable are usually revered by those who follow them. Those who fall between those extremes may have support, but not as profound as the support given to those who are honorable.
Take for instance DC's "Big Three." From my point of view, two of these have honor and the third does not. All three of these figures are heroes, great in their own way. Batman has sworn to defend the innocent from being preyed upon by urban crime, all without killing; I say Batman has honor, even if it results in killer satellites sometimes. Wonder Woman may be a steadfast warrior, but she preaches the words of peace more than she kicks ass (and she kicks a lot of ass); Diana has honor. Superman--he's a very moral man, standing for truth, justice, and the American way; I don't think he could have honor if he tried.
Both Wonder Woman and Batman have to struggle with what they believe. Their sense of honor gets them through the tough decisions they have to make. Superman has heard about having a moral crisis, but I don't think he's ever had one. He is assured of his morality and his beliefs, plus he's got so much power that he'll never think for a second that he's wrong.
This distinction between Batman and Superman, I think, is one of the key reasons why Batman is a guaranteed big seller, full of tons of popularity, while Superman is seen by many to be boring. Which also shows you don't need honor to be great, but it helps.
When I write, I know the motivations of my characters. To some degree, I'll unconsciously know if they have honor or not. I know, deep down, those characters who have honor in my writing will eventually gain true victory over their enemies, especially those without honor.
Looking again at "The Golden Hollow," Commander has a deep, twisted sense of honor. I hope those of you who have read it have seen this sense outside of where another character mentions that honor. Kadon has conviction, but he doesn't really have honor. Kadon knows what he wants and what he cares about, but he doesn't really have a true sense of honor. If he did, everything that comes after Commander and Kadon's duel would have been drastically different.
First, some definitions. Honor, we know, or know enough to just start talking about it. Idiot, on the other hand, has an interesting definition. That is "one who makes sense only to themselves." I take that as the term quite literally. That way, being an idiot is as easy as being moral or happy--anyone can do it.
Why do I say these things are at odds, you may ask? In my mind, honor requires a degree of relatability to others. Other people have to recognize honor when confronted with it, even if they don't agree with that honor. An idiot... well, idiots only make sense to themselves.
When people see idiots, they dismiss them and their opinions. Why? Because it's assumed that those opinions aren't worth worrying about and have no bearing on "the real world" or "logic." The honorable are usually revered by those who follow them. Those who fall between those extremes may have support, but not as profound as the support given to those who are honorable.
Take for instance DC's "Big Three." From my point of view, two of these have honor and the third does not. All three of these figures are heroes, great in their own way. Batman has sworn to defend the innocent from being preyed upon by urban crime, all without killing; I say Batman has honor, even if it results in killer satellites sometimes. Wonder Woman may be a steadfast warrior, but she preaches the words of peace more than she kicks ass (and she kicks a lot of ass); Diana has honor. Superman--he's a very moral man, standing for truth, justice, and the American way; I don't think he could have honor if he tried.
Both Wonder Woman and Batman have to struggle with what they believe. Their sense of honor gets them through the tough decisions they have to make. Superman has heard about having a moral crisis, but I don't think he's ever had one. He is assured of his morality and his beliefs, plus he's got so much power that he'll never think for a second that he's wrong.
This distinction between Batman and Superman, I think, is one of the key reasons why Batman is a guaranteed big seller, full of tons of popularity, while Superman is seen by many to be boring. Which also shows you don't need honor to be great, but it helps.
When I write, I know the motivations of my characters. To some degree, I'll unconsciously know if they have honor or not. I know, deep down, those characters who have honor in my writing will eventually gain true victory over their enemies, especially those without honor.
Looking again at "The Golden Hollow," Commander has a deep, twisted sense of honor. I hope those of you who have read it have seen this sense outside of where another character mentions that honor. Kadon has conviction, but he doesn't really have honor. Kadon knows what he wants and what he cares about, but he doesn't really have a true sense of honor. If he did, everything that comes after Commander and Kadon's duel would have been drastically different.
posted by LEN! at 12:05 AM
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