Date: Sun, 9 Oct 1994 21:47:33 -0500
From: "Michael F. Bowman" <mfbowman@CAP.GWU.EDU>
Subject: A Scout's View of Honor et al
To: list SCOUTS-L <SCOUTS-%TCUBVM.BITNET@pucc.Princeton.EDU>
In some off-line discussions I've had with a few on the list, we've pondered what goes through the mind of a young teen. How do they see things? What do things like "Trustworthy" mean? What motivates? I promised to put on the List some exerts from a Scout's essay on the subject of Honor.
The words and ideas are his own:
Honor is a very important and almost sacred element in our lives. Without honor corruption and cheating would be unstoppable. Although this world is seething with evil it is still a place where anybody can expect to be treated as another person merely because they can be trusted. Look at banks or pharmacies - the customers of these institutions trust the teller or pharmacist with their money and medicine.
Without trust, honor and trust the world would not function in a civilized way. If people always doubted other people then nobody could trust anybody with anything. People who lie are like little specks of dirt on the parts of a car engine who b lying or cheating mess up the whole "honor system." One example of the "honor system" is the offering baskets at a religious place. A dishonest person could quite easily take money from the basket, but everyone trusts each other to only put money in. Another example of the "honor system" is the candy boxes that the Easter Seals people put in stores. They trust people to put in a dime for every piece of candy that they take.
In any profession today you could easily lose your job for lying or cheating. It is only because of Honor, truthfulness, and trustworthiness that people can get along with each other. In a workplace people have to trust the other people that they work with to get the job done. If they can't trust the people they work with then nothing gets done because people can't rely on each other to get what they have to get done, done.
Another important aspect of honesty is that people like to be able to trust one another. Friendship, in most cases, derives from one person trusting the other and therefore liking that other person. Trust is also important in a family. Family members need to be able to trust each other so that they can get along. All families have trust between family members.
. . Another important thing about honesty is that if someone lies, cheats, or something else dishonest, then they will have a sense of guilt.
. .
. . Anybody with a clear conscience will be bound to feel better about themselves. Anybody who feels better about themselves will do whatever - fight, write, sing, type, play, run, etc., better. People with a clear conscience are the ones who do well on earth. The ones who feel guilty are the ones who are depressed and end up taking their own life; Except for Politicians! The only people who benefit by lying are Politicians. Their job is to lie to the people do some stuff for the first hundred days and then for the rest of their four years they sit around trying to get re-elected.
Even the badmen of the old West disliked cheating in a card game. When someone was caught cheating in a card game he was usually shot. Ever since the beginning of time cheating has been ill-favored. In School a teacher can send you to the office with an administrative referral for cheating, in the Naval academy you will be expelled for cheating or lying. . . .
. .It stands to reason that since nobody likes a liar then there is nothing to gain from dishonesty. The truth is always better then the dishonest falsehoods created by a pathetic liar. When you tell the truth people will only like your more. And the more that you tell the truth, the better your conscience will be and the wiser your decisions. By telling the truth and being a friendly person you could quite conceivably do to do because goodwill will always prevail over dishonesty. . . .
. .Our civilization is built on a foundation of honesty. It is because of honesty that people can work together. . . .
. . The most important honesty is that to oneself. If someone can not be honest to themselves then they won't have any self-esteem. Self-esteem is the most important thing you have. With self- esteem, integrity and a clear conscience they you can trust other people. And if you trust other people they will trust you. Trust is like a Tennis match both people get a chance to serve. Honesty between two people will bring them friendship and then the world will be less one unhappy person.
The author is a 13 year old Star Scout, who liked the idea of posting some of his thoughts, but was a little unsure of identifying himself.
Yours in Scouting, Michael F. Bowman, a/k/a Professor Beaver Deputy District Commissioner Exploring, GW Dist., NCAC, BSA Speaking only for myself, but with Scouting Spirit . . .
____ mfbowman@CAP.GWU.EDU ____
Last edited: February 22, 2004
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