In the world of social science, prestige is a sign of status and respect. It is awarded for accomplishments or contributions.
When we say that “people generally prefer honor and prestige over servanthood,” it implies they aspire to achieve more success in life and possess greater power and authority over others. Unfortunately, this can lead to the restriction of our liberties.
Friendship
Philosophical accounts of friendship often share certain common traits: an emphasis on mutual caring, the concept that friendship involves sharing a common conception of value, and the notion of shared activity.
Mutual caring is often at the core of friendship, as discussed in Section 1. It plays an integral role in understanding friendship as a morally valuable good and ensures that you take into account each friend as an individual. Mutual concern should always remain at the forefront of any discussion concerning how friends should be connected.
Consequentialism holds that this kind of concern for a friend cannot be fully appreciated without an appreciation of the connection between moral reasons and motivations. Therefore, in order to comprehend the full depth of care you are providing your friend, they must have both their interests and agency taken into account.
Furthermore, such a relationship of care must be understood as intimate rather than simply interpersonal. Your friend becomes more than someone who shares common values with you; they become an honest mirror into which you can reflect and evaluate your own perception of what matters in life.
As we’ve seen, many people consider friendship to be an essential aspect of their emotional health and well-being. Studies have even found that close, long-term friendships are linked to positive emotions as well as physical outcomes like lower blood pressure and a longer lifespan.
Love
When it comes to love, there are various kinds. Romantic love involves intense feelings of attraction for another person that may lead to physical or sexual intimacy.
However, there are also less physical-oriented forms of love. Examples include storge, which involves a more mature relationship and focus on shared interests. People with this kind of affection don’t hesitate to express their emotions nor are they emotionally distant.
Other forms of love exist, such as friend and parent love. This kind of bond contains many emotions like compassion, trust, and loyalty which are immensely meaningful to the recipient of such affection.
Some experts believe love to be a physiological drive, while others suggest it’s an emotional or cultural phenomenon. No matter the source, love has the power to transform lives for its recipients for the better.
No matter who it is, whether it be your spouse, children or God – being in love has plenty of benefits. When one feels secure and protected by someone they care about, the desire to do things for them grows and ultimately the desire for their happiness prevails.
But love can also bring about an array of emotions and sensations. Sometimes there’s a rush of joy, other times intense sadness or anger. When in love, it can be easy to forget your life isn’t perfect and that you may still be lonely. But love doesn’t have to be all bad though – there’s room for growth and improvement, too.
Further, when you’re in love, it can be challenging to maintain control over what transpires between you and your beloved. That is why it can be so challenging to decide when it is time to part ways with someone special.
When you’re in a relationship with someone who doesn’t share your values, it can be difficult to know when it’s time to part ways. In some extreme cases, they might even be unfaithful or worse yet, kill you. At that point, love becomes an impossible endeavor to maintain.
Authority
People typically value honor and prestige over servanthood for several reasons. One reason is that those in positions of authority often enjoy more freedom to do their job successfully, as well as receiving greater rewards and recognition for their successes.
Another reason people often prize honor and prestige is that it allows them to gain respect within their social circles and the wider community. Furthermore, it gives them a sense of power and control over their lives.
Traditional Authority
Max Weber describes traditional authority as the type of leadership that fosters and maintains inequalities among groups. This leadership is founded on longstanding beliefs and norms passed down from parent to child, as well as racial, class, and gender differences.
Many societies, particularly those in the western world, have a traditional system of authority. These structures typically involve a ruler who has been in power for some time and who is accepted by their followers due to his/her connection with an established tradition.
However, some individuals can challenge the authority of a traditional authority system and potentially spark off a revolution or lead to the downfall of its leader.
Rational-legal Authority
Rational-legal authority is defined as power that is derived from laws, written rules and regulations. This type of authority may also be referred to as bureaucratic or legal in nature.
Contrary to traditional authority systems, rational-legal authority isn’t attached directly to an individual but rather assigned according to their position. For instance, a manager in a company may hold legal-rational power simply because they receive compensation for doing their job.
But once they leave their position, their authority ceases to exist.
Therefore, a leader who prioritizes the development of their team members and is willing to sacrifice some personal goals for their team’s success will be much better than someone who puts their career before that of their colleagues. This type of leadership style is known as servant-first leadership since it puts the needs of the group first.
Power
Honor and prestige are two things people often prize more highly than servanthood. Honour is a social norm which determines one’s worth and status in society; it depends on how closely an individual abides by a code of conduct and moral code established for all in society.
The Bible instructs us that honor is not something to be sought but rather received through godly character. However, it’s essential to remember that when others show us honor, it should never be taken for granted; otherwise, disobedience or disrepute could easily rob us of this privilege.
For instance, if you have been dishonorably discharged from a military service, honor will likely not be accorded to you. On the contrary, if you have served well and made an excellent impression during your tenure with the force, then honor may be bestowed upon you.
People who have earned honor through military conquest, public performance or political action often enjoy additional privileges. This could include a higher position, higher pay or even an exclusive car.
Earning prestige provides individuals with a great deal of power and influence over others. They can purchase new cars, attend college, or gain acceptance into esteemed universities.
Gaining prestige requires hard work. People must prove their worth, demonstrate their abilities and talents, and create a good impression on others in order to earn it.
Ancient Greek and Roman cultures valued honor highly. It was seen as a scarce resource that could quickly run out, so earning as much honor as possible became paramount.
According to tradition, honor was bestowed upon people based on their family status, wealth, marriage status or even birth order. Furthermore, family members would often share this honor among themselves.
Jesus emphasizes that we should not seek or receive honor, but rather strive to be as holy as God is holy (Romans 12:1). This implies living in a way which pleases God rather than simply for ourselves.
