Modern American Honor Essay
Modern American honor is viewed as bravery, freedom and hard work. Honor has been expressed differently for years and years in different countries. Honor is defined as someone having high respect, courage and being selfless. Honor can also be viewed as someone sacrificing something or themselves; like our US soldiers. Nothing stays the same, and honor is no exception. History tells its own story from different perspectives of honor just from over time.
For centuries, women weren’t able to leave the house without a male escort. Nowadays that has changed so women are more independent and are part of honor too. In some countries, women are even a part of the military. In a 2012 article, entitled “Art of Manliness,” Brett McKay claims that “Honor …show more content…
lost was manhood lost. Because honor was such a central aspect of a man’s masculine identity, men would go to great lengths to win honor and prevent its loss.” Centuries ago manhood was considered honorable and women didn’t play a role in it. Men would prove their honor through vicious, life threatening activities. In the history of ancient Rome, there were gladiators. Gladiators were armed combatant men who entertained the Roman audiences in violent confrontations with other gladiators, wild animals, and condemned criminals. This was a cruel victory, but they were treated like heroes and considered honourable for their bravery. The women weren’t allowed to be part of those events, but honour still pops up throughout ancient times and literature like “the epic poems of Homer are primarily about honor and man’s quest to achieve and maintain it” (The Art of Manliness). Old stories would describe men being honourable, never hear anything about a woman. Manliness has over shined women because women were limited all the way to the point they weren’t able to leave their own houses. They were even stoned for having sex while married, but men in Ancient Roman times or Egyptians would have multiply wives; that was considered okay. This shows how only honour has changed over time because it's not like that anymore. Women have rights now in the United States, Britain and Canada. However, some would say honor hasn’t changed over time. However, this is incorrect because even countries that have consistent values, such as Japan, have changed their definition of honor somewhat.
Every culture or country values different things than others. During World War II Japan and the United States of America were in a brutal battle. Japan began asking for volunteers to sacrifice themselves in a suicide mission and they were called kamikaze. Those who join would be honored because of their “honorable decision”. In 2015 Guardian News report by Justin McCurry on kamikazes. Mr. McCurry interview a suppose to be kamikaze; Hisao Horiyama. Horiyama volunteered to be a kamikaze and to go on a suicide mission to attack a US warship. McCurry claims “with that one act of destruction, he would end his life and the lives of many others, in the name of his emperor as a member of an elite, and supposedly invincible, group of young men whose sacrifice would deliver victory to Japan: the kamikaze”. Horiyama’s one decision made him due to die soon, but that didn’t happen because US bombed Hiroshima and Nagasaki which caused Japan to surrender. Many of the future kamikazes were relieved in a way to live but not Horiyama. Horiyama states “I felt bad that I hadn’t been able to sacrifice myself for my country. My comrades who had died would be remembered in infinite glory, but I had missed my chance to die in the same way. I felt like I had let everyone down” (McCurry). He wanted that moment of fame, feel an honor, victory and glory; to feel that approval from his people and emperor. He wasn’t ever able to experience that. Japanese culture views that as honorable, but they do highly value behavior, appearance, and respect. It’s similar to how America values honor, but both cultures have didn’t beliefs.
In all honesty, Modern American honor is so dense that there is no straight answer to interpret it.
In the “The Star Spangled Banner” America will always be notorious as the “land of the free and home of the brave.” Showing honor, then, means treating another respectfully because we value them highly. American honor is viewed as hard work, freedom and selfless. In 2015 Wikimedia Foundation states “the Medal of Honor is the United States of America’s highest military honor, awarded for personal acts of valor above and beyond the call of duty. The medal is awarded by the president of the United States in the name of the U.S. Congress to U.S. military personnel only”. There have been 3,512 Medals of Honor awarded to honorable soldiers that have fought for their country and have showed excellences in their performances. Regardless of risking their lives everyday for their country and possibly losing their family they still do it. Wikimedia Foundation reports ¨on March 23, 2003, Private First Class Lynch was serving as a unit supply specialist with the 507th Maintenance Company when her convoy was ambushed by Iraqi forces during the Battle of Nasiriyah. Lynch was seriously injured and captured. Her subsequent recovery by U.S. Special Operations Forces on April 1, 2003, received considerable media coverage and was the first successful rescue of an American prisoner of war since Vietnam and the first ever of a woman¨. The American military expresses honor by not giving up, working
hard, and having integrity. The military has integrity especially because when one of their own is captured they’ll try their hardest to get their soldier back. Jessica Lynch was a woman army soldier who was recused. She is still honored today for her bravery and in addition for sacrificing herself for the military. For instance, some people might not agree that honor has changed; some might view honor as the one thing that changes throughout the whole world.
Honor is very complicated. It is constantly changing based on the cultural values, time periods, and people. Modern America will still be known has the land of the free and home of the brave because that has been carved into America’s culture, but that can change. Modern American culture believes that it is honorable to work hard, and be selfless. Japan’s culture defines honor differently by respect, appearance and behavior. It will be that way for a long time but society changes by style and values. Eventually the differences will come more visible, it just takes time.
For centuries, women weren’t able to leave the house without a male escort. Nowadays that has changed so women are more independent and are part of honor too. In some countries, women are even a part of the military. In a 2012 article, entitled “Art of Manliness,” Brett McKay claims that “Honor …show more content…
lost was manhood lost. Because honor was such a central aspect of a man’s masculine identity, men would go to great lengths to win honor and prevent its loss.” Centuries ago manhood was considered honorable and women didn’t play a role in it. Men would prove their honor through vicious, life threatening activities. In the history of ancient Rome, there were gladiators. Gladiators were armed combatant men who entertained the Roman audiences in violent confrontations with other gladiators, wild animals, and condemned criminals. This was a cruel victory, but they were treated like heroes and considered honourable for their bravery. The women weren’t allowed to be part of those events, but honour still pops up throughout ancient times and literature like “the epic poems of Homer are primarily about honor and man’s quest to achieve and maintain it” (The Art of Manliness). Old stories would describe men being honourable, never hear anything about a woman. Manliness has over shined women because women were limited all the way to the point they weren’t able to leave their own houses. They were even stoned for having sex while married, but men in Ancient Roman times or Egyptians would have multiply wives; that was considered okay. This shows how only honour has changed over time because it's not like that anymore. Women have rights now in the United States, Britain and Canada. However, some would say honor hasn’t changed over time. However, this is incorrect because even countries that have consistent values, such as Japan, have changed their definition of honor somewhat.
Every culture or country values different things than others. During World War II Japan and the United States of America were in a brutal battle. Japan began asking for volunteers to sacrifice themselves in a suicide mission and they were called kamikaze. Those who join would be honored because of their “honorable decision”. In 2015 Guardian News report by Justin McCurry on kamikazes. Mr. McCurry interview a suppose to be kamikaze; Hisao Horiyama. Horiyama volunteered to be a kamikaze and to go on a suicide mission to attack a US warship. McCurry claims “with that one act of destruction, he would end his life and the lives of many others, in the name of his emperor as a member of an elite, and supposedly invincible, group of young men whose sacrifice would deliver victory to Japan: the kamikaze”. Horiyama’s one decision made him due to die soon, but that didn’t happen because US bombed Hiroshima and Nagasaki which caused Japan to surrender. Many of the future kamikazes were relieved in a way to live but not Horiyama. Horiyama states “I felt bad that I hadn’t been able to sacrifice myself for my country. My comrades who had died would be remembered in infinite glory, but I had missed my chance to die in the same way. I felt like I had let everyone down” (McCurry). He wanted that moment of fame, feel an honor, victory and glory; to feel that approval from his people and emperor. He wasn’t ever able to experience that. Japanese culture views that as honorable, but they do highly value behavior, appearance, and respect. It’s similar to how America values honor, but both cultures have didn’t beliefs.
In all honesty, Modern American honor is so dense that there is no straight answer to interpret it.
In the “The Star Spangled Banner” America will always be notorious as the “land of the free and home of the brave.” Showing honor, then, means treating another respectfully because we value them highly. American honor is viewed as hard work, freedom and selfless. In 2015 Wikimedia Foundation states “the Medal of Honor is the United States of America’s highest military honor, awarded for personal acts of valor above and beyond the call of duty. The medal is awarded by the president of the United States in the name of the U.S. Congress to U.S. military personnel only”. There have been 3,512 Medals of Honor awarded to honorable soldiers that have fought for their country and have showed excellences in their performances. Regardless of risking their lives everyday for their country and possibly losing their family they still do it. Wikimedia Foundation reports ¨on March 23, 2003, Private First Class Lynch was serving as a unit supply specialist with the 507th Maintenance Company when her convoy was ambushed by Iraqi forces during the Battle of Nasiriyah. Lynch was seriously injured and captured. Her subsequent recovery by U.S. Special Operations Forces on April 1, 2003, received considerable media coverage and was the first successful rescue of an American prisoner of war since Vietnam and the first ever of a woman¨. The American military expresses honor by not giving up, working
hard, and having integrity. The military has integrity especially because when one of their own is captured they’ll try their hardest to get their soldier back. Jessica Lynch was a woman army soldier who was recused. She is still honored today for her bravery and in addition for sacrificing herself for the military. For instance, some people might not agree that honor has changed; some might view honor as the one thing that changes throughout the whole world.
Honor is very complicated. It is constantly changing based on the cultural values, time periods, and people. Modern America will still be known has the land of the free and home of the brave because that has been carved into America’s culture, but that can change. Modern American culture believes that it is honorable to work hard, and be selfless. Japan’s culture defines honor differently by respect, appearance and behavior. It will be that way for a long time but society changes by style and values. Eventually the differences will come more visible, it just takes time.