The New Honor Code: A Simple Plan for Raising Our Standards and Restoring Our Good Names

by Grant McCracken

Cultural anthropologist and thought leader Grant McCracken proposes a radical solution for our time of unprecedented a return to honor.

What used to be shocking has somehow become the new normal. Sexual predators stalk interns at work. Parents try to buy a place for their kids in college. Leaders compromise morals for political advantage. It happens so frequently that we can no longer dismiss these cases as a few bad apples. Something in the system is rotten.

How can someone get ahead and be successful in our modern culture without compromising their morality? What makes a good man or woman in this era of scandal?

Respected cultural anthropologist Grant McCracken has the a return to the ancient idea of honor. By looking at examples of honor and dishonor in popular culture and at institutions as diverse as Harvard, PBS, and Wells Fargo, he lays out not just how we got to where we are, but practical guidelines for how leaders and individuals can restore moral order to their organizations and personal lives.

Grant takes on topics like masculinity and gender roles, as well as classism and elitist attitudes. Celebrities and corporate leaders get knocked down to size while exploring just why their lack of honor can be harmful or dangerous.

New Honor Code is a sharp and insightful guide to what honor truly is, and how to incorporate it into your life.

Genres: Nonfiction

208 pages, Hardcover

Published December 29, 2020

About the author

I'm an anthropologist, born in Canada, now living in, and studying, the US. I divide my life into two halves. One is the writing half. The other is for clients: Netflix, the Ford Foundation, the White House, among others. My new book, out in late December from Simon and Schuster is called The New Honor Code.

Reviews

[William A]

Needed: re-institute shame/Honor

I recommend this book to all Millennials who have been raised to believe Honor is a right of birth; and that shame is an unnecessary tool that only damages ego/self-esteem.
In the book of Exodus we are directed to “Honor” (not necessarily love) our father and mother-with a resultant promise of a long and full life. The cause and effect relationship between honor and good behavior has been long lost to our culture. Honor and happiness go hand in hand!

[William Bookman III]

It has potential. It is probably more about me than the actual content in the book. Perhaps I have taken "honor" for granted. It definitely falls under "morals," and "ethics,"but somehow "honor" is not a known word when one practices a spiritual or psychological discipline. Honor tends to be a word co-opted by the military or old political rhetoric. Nevertheless, definitely worth having a conversation.

[Ietrio]

A simple plan from a simple mind. Yet, put someone like Harvey Weinstein, a rapist, with Lance Armstrong, who came out first among a long list of cyclists doping for a lifetime? And the solution is the Military? Where hazing remains unknown, and, unlike Harvey Weinstein's environment there are no rapes? Puhlease!

[Maeve]

No one needs to read this book. This anthropologist is really upset about our society today and I can agree with him on his gripes but I am not convinced by his solution. Nothing is backed up by research and this book didn’t ultimately resonate with my experience of reality at all. For an anthropologist, he doesn’t seem to demonstrate an understanding of people…

[Claudia Alexander]

I think this will be a very intriguing book for a certain type of person. It leans into what I consider a Late Boomer-Early GenX morality. It probably would have been more worthwhile as an essay or an OpEd than a book, but I don't hate any of the messages, it's just not for me.

[Diane Bateman]

I just loved reading this book has some great information in it . I love how it breaks down the honor code in a different light . It was easy to read and you did not want to put it down ..

[Lorie]

I thought it was a really good book and really made you think about how much honor is lacking in our society.

[Daniel]

Most of what the author wrote made sense but it just wasn't particularly insightful or fresh to me.

[Mary Tharp]

We definitely need to change to world.