Posted by M.Sjostrom on 29/10/2009, 13:26:39
82.181.239.182
It is quite clear that generally, the recipient of an hereditary honor, is likeliest to enjoy it relatively short time - compared to descendants, most of whom enjoy it (or at least its existence) all their lives.
A merited person, receiving a hereditary title in 50s or 60s or so, possibly has only a few years to personally have it, perhaps as much as decade or a couple.
But descendants -particularly those born after the grant- have it in their family all their lives. What have they necessarily done to deserve it?? well, not necessarily anything.
(And, it can be asked whether its 'enjoyment')
Simply, hereditary honors system is not much about the enjoyment of the recipient - it rather is about a memorial of the recipient, both among descendants and among that general public who are later aware about that honor.
A hereditary title commemorates those deceased, merited personages who received it (or were its prominent holders).
Descendants bearing such an hereditary title, rather are doing the work of being commemorative tools. Representing.
It can be seen as work.
It can be done with 'piety', maintaining the tradition of the merited earlier holder(s). Or, it can be done selfishly and trashing the whole thing for a generation.
Recipients of life honors, such as knighthoods: well, usually it is thought those are prizes. That they signify a recognition of accomplishments. As such, they are soul-warmers.
Such people who do not see that honors mean work, those who think them as gadgets to exploit, they see the thing differently.
However, one of meanings of a life honor, even as it's not hereditary,
is the commemorative significance in the family tree.
It generally marks an ancestor who had made something prominent. Contributed highly to the society.
Those who commemorate such as part of their family tree, as parts of their family story, are also doing the work to represent, to function as memorial tool.
Also, such recognitions in the pedigree tend to make the heirs, the fanmily, more valued.
All in all, a honors system is obviously quite much about commemmorative function.
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