Throughout my life, I have always believed that your word is your bond. If you say you’re going to do something, you do it. If you can’t do it, you be very apologetic! I have broken my word a handful of times but I have always apologized profusely for it. I thought this was an admirable trait, I didn’t even think it was a rare one. As I live longer, I realize that not only is it rare, but it’s vilified. I can’t say it’s how I was raised because I look at those who raised me and I don’t see honor at all. My pappou (Grandfather) was the most honorable man I’ve known. I can’t think of one time that man ever said he was going to do something and not delivered. I’m not going to say he was perfect, he had many faults, but if I got it from anyone it would have had to have been him.
This is happening because with people very close to me they consistently give me their word about something, break it, then get mad at me for thinking that they would actually carry through with it. Most of my closest friends have broken their words to me but they are always extremely apologetic and it is rare so therefore, I don’t hold it against them. I have a lot of problems for the select few who aren’t apologetic, like it’s somehow my fault. I get excuses like “Life happens” or “it’s unfair because I didn’t realize X” But for these excuse artists, fear not, for media and conventional wisdom seem to back you up.
As I watch the Dark Knight, I revel at how great of a movie it is. Heath Ledger does such a phenomenal job as the Joker and Christian Bale is by far my favorite batman. But let’s look at batman, a man that has an altar ego. A man that puts on a façade that he’s some trust fun billionaire who inherited his dad’s company but doesn’t care about anyone but himself, meanwhile he fights crime every night keeping Gotham safe. It’s not that he expressly lies, but he misleads, which I’m okay with. Then there’s the Joker. The Joker never breaks character. He tells the world this is what I’m going to do, and then does it. He says throughout the movie, “I’m a man of my word.” And never does he go back on his word throughout the entire movie. This is the message that is sent, honor is evil, just like the Joker. If you want another example of this being reinforced, take the show Dexter, one of my favorite shows. Again, the protagonist is a dark character. In the most recent season, one of the villains, a Ukrainian mob boss, also constantly gives his word to Dexter, a man he’s trying to kill. Again the Ukrainian mob guy who is evil in all aspects, never breaks his word to Dexter and constantly tells him he’s a man of his word. Dexter, on the other hand, lies all the time. He lies to people he’s about to kill, he lies to his sister whom he’s closest to, he lied to his wife, he lies to everyone. He even brags about it as he’s taunting a victim, he promises he won’t hurt them if they do something, they do it, he says he’s going to kill him anyway. The man says, “You said you’d let me go” Dexter responds, “You think I’m a killer, but not a liar?!” The Ukrainian mob boss was a killer but not a liar, the Joker was a killer but not a liar. So yes, you can be a killer but not a liar, Dexter just happens to be both. Yet, the people love Dexter and hate the Joker and the Ukrainian mob boss and root for Dexter, the liar and the killer rather than just the killer. Keep in mind Dexter killed the Ukrainian mob boss’ lover. I can understand why he would want to kill Dexter.
The media seems to give villains the characteristic of honor and make it devoid in the heroes. It is hard to be an honorable man, when I see the stars of Hollywood
