Death Before Dishonor



Antonio Ordonez



One should die proudly when it is no longer possible to live proudly.--Nietzsche

The Marines have a saying, "Death before dishonor." Like many sayings used to boost morale, it has its drawbacks as a cliche. Yet, taken for what it means in its purest sense, 'death before dishonor' is a sentiment that I admire. What is honor? It is a quality possessed by few men. It is that rare characteristic which describes a man who stands by the strength of his convictions no matter what. It is a quality which a man whose words and deeds match possesses. It is the characteristic which means a man will die for his beliefs.

It's hard to live honorably. If it were easy, then everyone would be doing it. And since the world is shamefully lacking in honorable men, we have to look hard to find them. But since the world is short on supply of honor, why not step up to the plate and try to be honorable ourselves?

There are drawbacks, of course, it would mean being honest at all times. It would mean telling people what you really think instead of what they want you to say. It would also mean losing quite a lot of friends. But what good are they if they have no honor and won't stand up to defend yours? They are useless.

So, I choose the path that sets me apart: I live by honor and pride. And, as Nietzsche said, "One should die proudly when it is no longer possible to live proudly." I would infinitely prefer death to giving up my honor. It is my very honor which gives me pride.

My ethics are basic: If I love you, I love you completely. If I stand for you, I will never forsake you. If you lie to me, I will consider it a dishonor and never speak to you again. If you attack me, I will fight you. And when and if the day comes when I cannot live honorably, proudly, I will welcome death with greater ease than I can express.