Meme: Loyalty
Comment to this post and I will pick seven things I would like you to talk about. They might make sense or be totally random. Then post that list, with your commentary, to your journal. Other people can get lists from you, and the meme merrily perpetuates itself.
hildakrista gave me: loyalty, pork, domesticity, fantasy books, wool, fun, and your favorite adult beverage.
Loyalty is the faithful adherence to a person, country, organization, cause, or ideal. In everyday life, one might speak of patriotism (loyalty to a country) or brand loyalty (preference for a commercial product) or even faithfulness to a spouse (loyalty in marriage.) You might see loyalty displayed on the playground when a child refuses to name an aggressor, in a sport arena among cheering fans, or even in an office when a worker refuses to quit a job even though the company has adopted abusive policies and the worker can easily find work elsewhere. Soldiers are praised for their loyalty as they march to war and politicians brag of their loyalty as they solicit votes. However I'm not sure that people think of loyalty at anything more than a gut level. After all, what has that brand of soap done for you that another brand can't do at a lesser price? Similarly, why should one support a team of millionaires that is owned by billionaires just because they play an entertaining sports match in your city? A company can at least treat its workers well and a country can enact favorable laws.
Loyalty between individuals can be more difficult. It often encompasses trust and respect as well as interpersonal interactions. Some among the medievalist groups even swear fealty to one another. I hope they have those contracts clearly stated as the potential for abuse is great - and does happen.
Among friends, loyalty is even more nebulous. There are no contracts or stated expectations. Loyalty grows from shared interactions and mutual respect. Often little proof of loyalty is asked and I think that's the key. Trust when given is often returned and that is what inspires loyalty even when people change. Loyalty might continue long after friends grow apart but it isn't until the breakage of trust that loyalty might finally dissolve. If the trust remains - even among those with nothing more in common - I believe the loyalty will also endure.