“Practicing what You Preach” (or, “Why I’m Sick of Klingon ‘Honor’”)

Klingons, as a race, really aren’t that concerned with the concept, so much as they like to employ the word incessantly… and, for the most part, incorrectly.

From what we’ve seen in the various series, most Klingons have far more a concern with the appearance of honor (that is, reputation… or as the Japanese would say, face), than they do the actual quality. Worf is, in many ways, one of the only canon Klingons we've seen possessing a significant amount of personal honor… and that's because he was raised away from Klingons, where their ideals (as revealed in their sacred writings) rather than their actions were of real importance. There are other exceptions, but… not enough to justify all the Klingon posturing about how "honorable" they are.

The idea that you can be stripped of your honor is asinine. Sure, they can take away your reputation—they did it to Worf's family twice, and it was enough to destroy Kurn, both literally and figuratively (this was an enormous tragedy… but, sadly, also the mark of a man who was obsessed with self-image vis-a-vis self-respect, thus allowing his culture too much power over him). And that also addresses the point: It would be the dishonor of being publicly accused (because it could affect his image) more than the idea that he could actually perform such actions that would infuriate a typical Klingon.

True honor is far more akin to integrity than repute, if you're man enough to see it. Many Klingons, unfortunately, aren't men… they're simply eight-year-old pirates with starships and energy weapons.

"'Argh!' Martok even has a patch, for goodness' sake… and he’s one of your more honorable Klingons.

Now, to me, a Klingon with the courage to follow his or her own path (like Worf) has honor. The others just have a rep... and an oft-undeserved one, at that.