97.2 Honor

 97.2 Honor

Question:

      What happens to great people if they commit a vile act?

Answer:

Great people of high status will sink to nothing if they

commit even the slightest fault.                                             (Couplet – 965)

People who have fallen off from their noble status

will rate as hair fallen off from the head.                               (Couplet – 964)

 

குன்றின் அனையாரும் குன்றுவர் குன்றுவ

குன்றி அனைய செயின்.                                                    (குறள் – 965)

தலையின் இழிந்த மயிரனையர் மாந்தர்

நிலையின் இழிந்தக் கடை.                                               (குறள் – 964)

 

Explanation:

Valluvar states in Couplet 957 that the faults of the noble will be exposed conspicuously, like the dark spots on the moon. Because great people occupy exalted positions in society, many quickly notice their faults and are readily subject to criticism. Even simple mistakes and slips of the tongue of famous people are often caught quickly and ridiculed. For example, when Vice President Dan Quale of the USA misspelled potato, he became the laughingstock of the media. When the US Presidential candidate  Barack Obama said he had gone to all 57 states of the USA, he was ridiculed by the press and others. When President Joe Biden was in Cambodia, he said he was in Columbia. The TV channels, social media, and the press immediately questioned his cognitive ability to serve as the President of the USA. Of course, President Donald Trump had his share of gaffes which were fodder to the media.

 

     Although simple blunders are readily noticed and criticized, they don’t have a lasting impact on great people. At the same time, significant errors of judgment and misbehavior have more severe consequences on prominent people. For example, When US President Richard Nixon authorized the break-in at his political opponent’s headquarters and lied about it, he lost all credibility as President and had to resign. Also, when President Bill Clinton had an affair with an intern at the White House, he was the object of contempt; he was impeached and lost his license to practice law forever. Because of the severity of the impact of major ignoble acts, Valluvar says when people commit despicable acts, they are like hair that is fallen off the head. When the hair is on the head, it adds beauty to people’s appearance. However, the hair that has fallen off the head is considered unwanted dirt. So also, when great people commit ignoble acts, they fall precipitously from their prominence and lose the respect and admiration of others.