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Tuesday, January 17, 2012

If discretion is the better part of valor, valorousness, valiance........

Then there has to be a 'bad' part of valor, right? I don't yet know what that might be, but I may figure it out before I leave you today.

I like saying that word, "valor". Just sounds like a soul lightening term, valor.
 Not really knowing if it means the same as honor or heroism, I look it up on the Wordnet.

 The noun valor has 1 sense (first 1 from tagged texts)
                                           
1. (7) heroism, gallantry, valor, valour, valorousness,valiance,


 valiancy -- (the qualities of a hero or heroine; .exceptional or 


heroic courage when facing danger (especially in battle); "he 


showed great heroism in battle"; "he received a medal for valor")


 I had initially thought of "Honor" as being similar in "Valor" as a virtue. It seems that valor could include honor as well as other positive or strong attributes during a danger or fight. So many parts to comprise valor, I can see how a few might be seen lower in value than discretion.

 A form of 'discreet', this to me states prudence. An ability to keep one's mouth shut. To know when to hold information from whom and whom to give it to when the time is right.

 Let's see how close on the Wordnet.


 The noun discretion has 5 senses (first 2 from tagged texts)
                                     
1. (5) discretion -- (freedom to act or judge on one's own).


2. (2) discretion, discreetness, circumspection, prudence -- 


(knowing how to avoid embarrassment or distress; "the servants 


showed great tact and discretion")


3. delicacy, discretion -- (refined taste; tact)


4. free will, discretion -- (the power of making free choices 


unconstrained by external agencies)


5. discretion, discernment -- (the trait of judging wisely and 


objectively; "a man of discernment")


 So I'll use the second sense with the adjective 'discrete' for my purpose. 
 I adore 'circumspection'. It's stealthy. 'Prudence' has always gotten a bad rap. Prudes don't get asked to the dance, but teases sure are fine.


 What is not fine is that I haven't yet come up with the negative part of valor. I'm leaning toward being blunt to a fault. A person can be heroic in a battle and still speak their mind. Although the worse part of valor is being blunt, I believe in working better than discretion in certain situations that call for a quick wit and mass verbosity. -

10 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. Sorry for the delay. Had to remove myself to the rooftop for a while. Sometimes that happens, and that sometimes was today.

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  2. For me it seems more like if you're discreet about your valour, it shows that you're more...valourous, or whatever the word would be. You do noble and honourable deeds to do them, not to brag about them. Which would probably be seen as more noble by others.

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    Replies
    1. To not boast or even claim ownership of good things is truly a humble venture. I think with the value of information as a means to improve a persons' life in struggle, raise from low economic standing, or overcome adverse situations, discretion would list higher than humility on the list of traits that add up to valorousness only because it is within battle. In peace, however, humility is the true measure of a great person.

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  3. Replies
    1. I keep wishing to find an undiscovered dino from the triassic or jurassic period and name it "The Saurus", or "Thesaurus" so it would be found in the same entry as 'thesaurus'.

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  4. valour sounds like an ancient word in today's context. but i like it. i usually only see the use of this word in classics.
    :)

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    Replies
    1. Very true. I would like to see a comeback of this word in our vocabulary. The words we type and speak have a way of changing our lives. We would be better off creating more valor.

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  5. Discretion is the better part of valor, but that doesn't mean there's a bad part, just that there's a lesser part. That lesser part is bravery.

    If you're valorous/honorable, you're both brave and careful/discrete. It's good to be brave, but bravery alone can lead to danger, recklessness and more trouble than it's worth, so while it's good to be brave, it's better to be careful.

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    Replies
    1. so true. thank you for your precise and uplifting comment.

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