We usually watch The Quiet Man on St. Patrick’s Day. This year we didn’t happen to do, but we did last year. I agree with the basic argument of the piece that the movie is about an American learning how to deal with the ancient sense of honor. There was quite a lot of that in Iraq, too.
There’s an advantage to the American honor: it’s closer to Aristotle’s virtue of magnanimity. Because it is true to its own sense of what conduct is most worthy of honor, it shapes a character that pursues the best things for themselves. That ends up earning quite a bit of respect, which is the honor in the ancient sense that the article discusses. American Magnanimity is ultimately what carries the day in the movie.
7 comments:
That is a great essay. Thanks.
I'm in the midst of rethinking many of my foundational political and social beliefs and this essay is timely for that. Thanks for posting it.
If you feel that you need to dive deeply into honor, you might try this paper.
I applaud that in and of itself. It's hard to put everything on the table.
Yes, that looks useful. Thank you.
The anomalies in my world view have accumulated outside the gates and are demanding answers, pitchforks and torches and all that. There are some things I just never really thought through, and now I'm feeling the need to do so.
I should add that you and Grim and some others that hang out here have helped turn up some of those anomalies, for which I'm thankful.
My doctoral dissertation advisor held that it was the main duty of philosophers to raise complications and problems rather than to provide answers and solutions. He would be proud to know that I was doing this for you.
Post a Comment