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zephenyesterday at 8:35 PM1 replyview on HN

I think you're missing the point. Or, on re-reading, the parent is missing the point.

"Honor culture" or "Culture of honor" is the term for people who are thin-skinned, quick to offense, and worried more about appearances than substance.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_of_honor_(Southern_Uni...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honor_killing

It's all about a shame-based society. When someone is made to feel ashamed, they might lash out. It's practically the opposite of guilt, which is directed inwardly.

At the margins, a shamed person might commit mass murder, while a guilty person might commit suicide.

Before you get to the margin, both guilty people and shamed people might alter their behavior in beneficial ways, but they do it for subtly different reasons.


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emptybitsyesterday at 9:19 PM

Thanks. I had to be reminded about that phrase "honor culture" and, yes, I've heard that definition before.

I was focused on how I think an "honourable person" behaves, which is ... IMO ... someone who behaves well regardless of whether or not someone is watching them. i.e. being guided by a personal moral compass, without cultural shame, guilt, government laws, religious conventions, or physical fear being primary motivators

But of course, if I adopt a religion's or legal system's idea of morality as my personal compass (certainly the easiest way to go, and easily installed in youth) ... then the distinction falls apart. Cheers.

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