Shame - what is it? Meaning, Definition, and Examples

Shame - what is it? The question is rather difficult, not only because the abstract concept will have to be explained, but also because the word itself is almost never used in lively, colloquial speech. That is, of course, you can hear it, but in this case the whole action takes on a smack of theatricality. However, we will analyze the concepts of “honor”, ​​“dishonor”, ​​and also consider the role of morality in relations between man and society.

What is honor?

It is difficult to start immediately with dishonor, because dishonor is the absence of honor, this is the most general definition. Therefore, duty tells you first to specify what honor is.

The dictionary gives us 6 meanings of the concept.

1. A virtue that respects oneself or others. It can be of a moral, social, professional nature.
2. The same as respect, respect.
3. Sign of attention.
4. Something that gives someone special significance. "This act does you honor."
5. Virginity of a woman, her integrity.
6. An appeal to an official or a person who is higher than the speaker in terms of social status. In our dictionary it is listed as outdated. True, in America the judges are still addressed this way. If you do not believe it, watch a Hollywood movie with the appropriate plot.

Naturally, on the basis of interpretation, dishonor forms a pair with only some meanings, for example, with the first and fifth. Dishonor - what is it in this case? Everything is very simple. If a person does not have a certain dignity for which he is respected, then he is dishonorable, or rather, evil, unkind. Do not be surprised, because there is an opinion that evil is the absence of good.

It can also be said that a woman is dishonorable if she is not married to a virgin. True, for Western culture this is no longer relevant, but the world is not closed to Europe and America. It is difficult to add dishonor to the rest of the meanings as an antonym.

Definition of dishonor

Now we can, with a clear conscience, define defiance. Let's turn to the dictionary again.

1. Shame, insult, shame.
2. A fine that was levied from one person in favor of another for insulting by a court decision (period 14 - beginning of the 20th century).

Both values ​​are deprecated. Of course, one could deduce a whole theory from this harmless fact, but we will evade such a temptation. We hope the reader is clear what dishonor is, its definition is quite simple.

The shady side of honor. Marty McFly case

Sometimes honor is not just a virtue that arouses respect in a person or others, but also a certain system of principles adopted in a particular community, for example, military, aristocratic or knightly honor. Here, it makes no sense to analyze the pros and cons of the concepts “honor of an officer”, “honor of a knight”, and “honor of an aristocrat”, especially since the remarkable German philosopher A. Schopenhauer did it a long time ago. We will only say that when honor is a certain internal system of human values, then there are no problems. Difficulties begin when honor is an external tool for managing a person.

For example, in ancient times, one aristocrat publicly insults another. The latter has no choice but to induce impudent duel. And imagine that the injured party is killed in such a “trial”. It’s just right to ask a philosophical question: “dishonor - what is it, is it worth life?” Especially when the subject of a quarrel is trifling. But there is nothing to be done, until now, in some cultures, honor is higher than life.

There is a more recent and intimate example. In the Back to the Future movie trilogy, one of the main characters Marty McFly is tormented by terrible complexes: he is afraid to appear in the eyes of those around him as a coward. But in every episode, life demonstrates Marty that it’s not so scary. And in the third part, the main character faces a dilemma: to live with the realization that people consider him a coward (the meaning of the word “dishonor” is recalled here by itself), or die a hero. And Marty seems to be making the very last choice for himself.

Is our world so dishonest as they say?

Now it is customary to scold modernity. Needless to say, the world does not shine: poverty, poverty coexist with luxury, and the rich are not shy of their capital and far from all participate in charity. Permanent unrighteousness of life makes the openness of information unbearable. In general, if you want to know dishonor - what is it, then look around. Reality is immersed in it. But is everything so bad? Injustice has always been. But at the same time, the same Internet opens up unprecedented opportunities for people to communicate. Volunteer movement is now in fashion, people help animals. In other words, there is still hope for salvation.

Summing up the conversation, let’s say: the lexical meaning of the word “dishonor” comes down to the lack of honor, as the reader probably already understood.