Klingons have honor?

[Good Will Riker]

I never much cared for the pseudo-samurai honor things with the Klingons. I much preferred the treacherous, tyrannical bastards from TOS and especially STIII.

If you look into history, there were Japanese samurai who behaved in a similarly corrupt way.

 

[The Squire of Gothos]

I always thought the "honour" was akin to that displayed by the Japanese armed forces circa WWII. Fine for ritual and protocol, not so much when it came to treatment of civilians, prisoners etc.

 

[Anthony Sabre]

You are mistaking the characteristics of Klingons who were story antagonists and the general character of the culture. Yes they have honor, but beware of stereotypes either way.

Agreed. There was Klingon culture and then individual Klingons. Worf, Kurn, Martok, Kor and etc. were examples of those who truly tried to live according to the Klingon concept of honor. Gowron, Duras, Lursa, B'Etor were some who put their own interests above the concept of honor.

 

[Space Cowboy]

Worf's tendency towards honor is a result of growing up among humans and being exposed to the legends of Klingon honor without being exposed to the treacherous backstabbings of house politics, which would explain why he gives off the impression of being more Klingon than most Klingons.

 

[zenophite]

Worf's tendency towards honor is a result of growing up among humans and being exposed to the legends of Klingon honor without being exposed to the treacherous backstabbings of house politics, which would explain why he gives off the impression of being more Klingon than most Klingons.

this is actually quite common amongst first generation immigrant children - they tend to hold an idealistic picture of the "fatherland" - one that often does not jibe with the ideals present within the homecountry itself. In some ways I am familiar with this situation in personal terms.

still I jst don't find the Klingons compelling as they have been developed - they still strike me as a bunch of dumb barroom brawlers. Sort of like space bikers. There is little satisfying nuance in their culture for my taste..

 

[Rhodan]

I just don't find their culture at all realistic and I don't see how they could have developed into a star-faring civilization.

Actually, Trek writers themselves have problem with that, so much of modern literature is trying to explain Klingon progress by reverse engineering of technology of former conquerers (Hur´q for example).