Glory

[Cnut237]

What does glory mean within a society? I'm not interested in a superficial dictionary definition, or in a religious sense, more in why it is lauded and what might motivate someone to welcome it, or to strive to attain it, as an individual. And I don't believe it's a simple synonym for something else. What are the mental motivations and processes involved, specifically with respect to the relationship between the individual and wider society?

[Spontaneous]

 Just my opinion for me Glory is all about the life we've faced that different, sometimes good but some also not good but everyone wanted a better life and therefore life is not consistent that is why we need to face an go to a pathway that there's a different living and we need to surpassed all the challenges in life to get Glory and encounter the precious life.

[Cnut237]

Just my opinion for me Glory is all about the life we've faced that different, sometimes good but some also not good but everyone wanted a better life and therefore life is not consistent that is why we need to face an go to a pathway that there's a different living and we need to surpassed all the challenges in life to get Glory and encounter the precious life.

Thanks. I still find the concept quite problematic. It's very heavily laden with meaning, yet at the same time secular glory is something that I find can be surprisingly elusive, and difficult to pin down. I don't think it's anything like recognition or renown, it's more triumphalist than that, and I think combative, too, but not necessarily in a military sense.

[BernyJB]

I think (and, of course, it's an opinion), the definition of "glory" is highly dependent on the group you belong to, call it "society", "gang", "religion" or whatever. In the end, it's all about achieving a level of satisfaction or status by making an effort to please that group. For example, what I think is a case of people assuming the greatest of sacrifices, the "Divine Wind" ("Kami Kaze"), couldn't have existed in a society that didn't have such an obsession to honoring ones' ancestors, and living basically to serve society. You can say they were fanatics, and whatnot, but the fact is you need to have some big cojones to look death right in the eye and stay the course. 
Throughout history, there have been plenty of examples, big and small, of similar behaviors. In all cases, it comes down to the "gain" you achieve afterwards. It can be about getting yourself killed for a "greater good", or about going out of your way to help somebody, or to protect somebody.
Personally, I think if you do (or don't do) something for the "glory", you're doing it for the wrong reasons. But to each their own...

[tvbcof]

Ah, brings back old memories:


  My eyes have seen the glory of the burning of the school
    We have tortured every teacher
  We have broken every rule
    We have shot the secretary and we hung the principal
  Us brats keep marching on!

  Glory, glory, hallelujah!
    Teacher hit me with a ruler
  I hid behind the door
    With a loaded .44
  And she ain't my teacher no more!


In looking for that, I ran across some other blasts from the past:


  Marijuana, marijuana,
    LSD, LSD
  Scientists make it, teachers take it
    Why can't we? Why can't we?


and


  Daniel Boone was a man,
    yes a biiiig man,
  but the bear was bigger, so he ran like a nigger up a tree.


  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLMCO-JZqWs

[BADecker]

^^^ What's a nigger? Does it have something to do with racism?

[Cnut237]

I think (and, of course, it's an opinion), the definition of "glory" is highly dependent on the group you belong to, call it "society", "gang", "religion" or whatever. In the end, it's all about achieving a level of satisfaction or status by making an effort to please that group. For example, what I think is a case of people assuming the greatest of sacrifices, the "Divine Wind" ("Kami Kaze"), couldn't have existed in a society that didn't have such an obsession to honoring ones' ancestors, and living basically to serve society. You can say they were fanatics, and whatnot, but the fact is you need to have some big cojones to look death right in the eye and stay the course. 
Throughout history, there have been plenty of examples, big and small, of similar behaviors. In all cases, it comes down to the "gain" you achieve afterwards. It can be about getting yourself killed for a "greater good", or about going out of your way to help somebody, or to protect somebody.
Personally, I think if you do (or don't do) something for the "glory", you're doing it for the wrong reasons. But to each their own...

The relationship between individual and group is important to this, yes, and I would certainly agree that having the attainment of glory as a goal is somehow wrong. Perhaps a part of this is not the act of seeking it, but the reason for seeking it. Glory as commonly represented seems to tie-in individual self-promotion (and self-aggrandisement) with an unhealthy, unquestioning and quite rampant tribalism (usually, nationalism). Are we inculcated to see glory as a thing that is desirable, and selfless, but at the same time makes us as individuals superior to those who do not have or represent glory? I know this has been covered before, and sometimes quite brilliantly, but still, it's difficult to nail it down properly, particularly in relation to 21st C society.

My eyes have seen the glory of the burning of the school

I'm interested in this perspective, yes, the freedom and empowerment and euphoria of it... along with this all being fleeting or even illusory.

[BernyJB]

Perhaps a part of this is not the act of seeking it, but the reason for seeking it. Glory as commonly represented seems to tie-in individual self-promotion (and self-aggrandisement) with an unhealthy, unquestioning and quite rampant tribalism (usually, nationalism). Are we inculcated to see glory as a thing that is desirable, and selfless, but at the same time makes us as individuals superior to those who do not have or represent glory?

Or both.
Somebody sacrifices something for the group (be it family, friends, the gang, country, mankind, whatever). Do they do it for the glory or because of it? And ultimately, do they even care about those they're helping?
If I help somebody (or if I make a sacrifice for whatever group), I don't expect a thank you, or a medal, or anything in return. I don't help others for the retribution, I do it because (if) I care.
The problem is helping and/or sacrificing has become somewhat of a fad. You're expected to do it, so people do it for the title. So you hear this or that politician (or billionaire, or celebrity, you name it) was a Marine, like that automatically makes him a hero. Or even if he was a bonafide hero, did he do it for his fellow combatants, or because he wanted a medal, and the undeniable benefits (and the glory) attached to it?

The problem is you can't see why people do what they do, so those seeking the glory will always exist. You could say they have a more practical view on things, as they consistently reap the benefits for their actions, while others keep doing the same (or more) quietly, with no other reward than their own satisfaction, having done "what's right". And society (or "the group") takes advantage of it, creating a whole reward system for them. That way, everybody benefits.

[worldofcoins]

Just my opinion for me Glory is all about the life we've faced that different, sometimes good but some also not good but everyone wanted a better life and therefore life is not consistent that is why we need to face an go to a pathway that there's a different living and we need to surpassed all the challenges in life to get Glory and encounter the precious life.

Well in my opinion this can be a state of mind. Includes mind of yourself about others and mindset of others about yourself. You cannot reach the level of glory if you can't change the mind of others about yourself (or any other particular aspect). It also includes the mindset of your own self about yourself. Also, I would like to quote here is that the best mindset of glory is in the helping of others, with their knowledge about your help.

[tvbcof]

Ah, brings back old memories:
...
In looking for that, I ran across some other blasts from the past:
...

  Daniel Boone was a man,
    yes a biiiig man,
  but the bear was bigger so he ran like a nigger up a tree.


  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLMCO-JZqWs

^^^ What's a nigger? Does it have something to do with racism?

Honestly, not really.  At least not for us kids on the West coast back in the 1970's.  More akin to 'retard' or 'fatso'.  Mostly it rhymed with 'bigger' for the purpose of that little diddy, but the mental picture of some mythical strong-man like 'Daniel Boone' dropping his gun and running for the nearest tree to climb when he is chased by a bear is kind of funny.

My family didn't have a TV so I don't think I ever saw even one re-run of 'Daniel Boone' which was from the 1960's.  At least that I remember.  In looking at the trailer from the Jewtube clip, I noticed that one of the hero's was a black guy.  This was actually pretty typical in mainstream media in the 1960's.  Of course the black guy (or Indian or whatever) would have always still been a side-kick to the white dude.  Had to wait for the 1980's with folks like 'Mr. Tee' for non-whites to really take on the lead rolls...and for the 2000's for ALL of the leading rolls to be taken by 'minorities'.