Honor

In Song of Ice and Fire betrayal, back-stabbing, and desertion are common. One of the only characters who doesn’t do these things, (He won’t be named for spoilers.) dies in the first book. So obviously, only the liars and oath-breakers are able to survive, and thrive. We, the readers, are supposed to view this negatively. But sometimes I think as I read, that if I were in the sell-sword’s and weak spirited soldier’s shoes, I would do the same. Which is more important, serving someone who is paying you, or your own life? But all the same, it is indeed hard to run an army filled with people who you can’t trust, and who have no honor at all.

But then again, what is honor? Merriam-Webster dictionary defines it as “a keen sense of ethical conduct: Integrity <a man of honor>” So people with honor have strong ethics, usually a strong sense of fairness, justice, and honesty. Good things. Attributes that people can be proud of. You can trust, and depend on honorable people. They are loyal friends and fierce enemies. And above all, they play by the rules.

So, why aren’t honorable people all leaders, why did the character in Game of Thrones get killed? Because not everyone plays by the rules like they do. People that are crafty, clever, and aren’t afraid of getting their hands dirty can get rid of an honorable person in a blink of an eye. They scorn ethics, and laugh in the face of integrity. They make false friends, and dangerous enemies. In Ice and Fire, and the real world, people like these are the ones that succeed.

But what if you want to be a good person, and an honorable person, but you don’t want to end up dead, or in the dust? You have to know when to set aside your honor and play rough. You have to realize that in certain situations it is better for you and others, to turn a blind eye to something. Or to tell a white lie. We should all strive to be honorable, but we must all know how to adapt to complicated situations as well.