How do you react to this quote from Sholom Aleichem?

Question

"It's a well-known fact that if you're set upon honor, honor slips around you and heads for where the daisies grow. And the reverse holds true. If you avoid honor, honor tails after you, begging: 'Dopey! What are you running away for? Take a little bit, at least.'"

Answer 1

for me it says
those who seek honour ... ego to takes over and in others eyes there is no honour in that
for those who seek humility , they find honour in the very thing they arent looking for

Answer 2

Often described as the Yiddish Mark Twain, for his astute observations of the human condition, this is akin to "the rich get rich, the poor get poorer."

The meaning? It is another way of describing the outcome of the most common human frailty, that Buddhism references as fear and attachment.

We only avoid what we have been conditioned to fear. Although honor would always be available to the deserving and honorable soul, we can be convinced to fear and avoid it because of negative subconscious associations.

As well, our conditioned ego attachments make us chase what has been withheld during our early belief system development. If honorable, respectful treatment has been withheld during childhood we will naturally chase the experience that we perceive is missing. But, honor - or whatever we are fixated on - will be illusive. It cannot be experienced without reframing the original conditioning.

Answer 3

I think it's interesting, but I also disagree with some of it.

I don't think it's always the case that those who search for honor don't get it, nor do I think that those who avoid honor always receive it. The quote might be true in many cases, but I've never really thought about it, so I'd have to confirm it based on future observations.

Answer 4

All that talk about "honor" reminds me of the Klingons...and that I need to watch some more Star Trek tonight.

Answer 5

Get Mr. Aleichem back on his meds!