So, yes, old habits can be applied to modern purposes, thoughtful Readers! Every tool is useful for the task, as every adult must learn! With both honor, and empathy!
🙂
I finished what I found to be a very thought-provoking reading, El Maestro de Esgrima, in my on-going, perhaps cooling now, love affair with the books of author Arturo Pérez-Reverte. I think I most loved two points in the book: about living and dying, and about childhood games. I was impressed that he actually works a kids game into a major fight scene of the book! His insistence on living his life by a set of rules that were nearly out of fashion already, even then, carries this book through some boring parts. All of the boring parts are needed for the plot to make sense in the end, but the theme is the best part: why is it important for one to live by a code that makes life more difficult? Why take responsibility for upholding the truth, and for living by that truth, in a world where no one else will do so? Or, in the words of part 6 of an earlier post: “6. accepting responsibility to think independently, taking responsibility for one’s actions and for preventing exploitation.” Here, honor, and defending the honor of others, involves taking responsibility for the mutual safety of all, even at the cost of self-sacrifice. But does that also mean that individuals have the responsibility to take care of themselves, and how? And, more importantly, is that sense of honor similar to, related to, or the same as having empathy (both personal/individual empathy, and social empathy)??
Then, there is the other question: about defending oneself legally, and financial self-defense. Knowing one’s rights, such as the right not to be sued for an expired debt, also requires taking the responsibility to understand how to defend that right, and why such defense is needed, according to the local laws of the state or District in which one lives. To me, such knowledge and application, for oneself and for or on behalf of others, is also part of upholding a sense of honor.
My notes from the book on living, and on dying:
–
“Me encanta ésa idea de cómo vivir, I tal vez mejor dicho, cómo morir:
“No de arrepentía de haber vivido: había amado y había matado…”
Cómo Alonso en El Ministerio del Tiempo:
“No tengo quejas: he amado… he luchado por mi patria…”
I love this idea:
No regrets, after having loved, and fought with honor…”
So, it turns out that a modern sense of honor may have more to do with fighting via our modern civil and legal processes, for the honor of our Republic. What do you think?
More on my continuing striving with Castillian next week, friends:
Nos vemos!
Actions in support of literacy and hope that you can take right now:
1.) Share two different sources to translate the word “honor” into Spanish. 🙂
2.) Share your thoughts on how you like each of the sources you found,
3.) Write a blog post or tweet that uses a Spanish word, tells a good story, and makes a difference. I’m working on that through my historical fantasy #WiP, #WhoByFireIWill. Once published, donate one or more copies to your local public library, as I intend to do.
Dear Readers, any additional ideas toward learning, especially multiple #LanguageLearning as part of on-going education and empathy-building, to #EndPoverty, #EndHomelessness, #EndMoneyBail & achieve freedom for All HumanKind?
Support our key #PublicDomainInfrastructure & #StopSmoking for CCOVID-19:
1. #PublicLibraries,
2. #ProBono legal aid and Education,
3. #UniversalHealthCare, and
4. good #publictransport
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