Would you accept a knighthood/MBE/OBE/CBR?

holnrew

I wouldn't.

Iamnobody

For the record no. Although I'm unlikely to ever be give one...

Chalky

No, because I'd be certain they'd got the wrong Chalky!

As my brother got one, we've played this game a few times and it very much depends what you got it for.  Did you spend many years, day in, day out, selflessly caring for others in your community?  Then maybe recognition with an honour might be meaningful. Did you get it for being a donor to Dave? Then maybe an honour is just payment.

You have to have a reason why you get nominated, otherwise, saying you wouldn't is just a meaningless statement.

Christophe

Yes, totally. It's a bit rude to turn it down imo

Sporky

Yes. I clearly deserve it so it would be churlish not to accept.

axisus

People have to do a sh*tload of writing letters, filling in forms, petitioning on your behalf etc to get a nomination through. You would be pissing on all those people to turn it down. Rich businessmen pay someone do do all the ass-kissing but for people like us we are talking about friends and family. For that reason I'd accept it. 

ThorpyFX

holnrew said:

I wouldn't.

Can I ask why not? Assuming you've been nominated for some act/prolonged act of national or local good. Why wouldn't you be happy that on a national level someone has recognised what you have done and decided to thank you publicly. 

RandallFlagg

I would, for services to mediocrity and bland anonymity

richardhomer

Even lefty/anti-establishment figure John Martyn accepted his (though sadly didn't live long enough to receive it).

Though its perfectly possible to argue that plenty of deserving people aren't honoured - and some who are probably ought not to have been - I like the tradition of the honours system.

Theres nothing I've ever done to warrant one - but I'd definitely accept if I had.

cruxiform

I wouldn't get out of bed for anything less than a knighthood.

Fuengi

For several reasons, no. 

Not only do I think less of people who do accept them, I really apptreciate people like Danny Boyle and Phil Scraton who declined the awards for ethical reasons. 

hotpot

Never in a million years.

Fretwired

No as I don't think I've done anything to deserve one. There are plenty of ordinary people who have done unpaid voluntary work and who have improved people's lives who do deserve to be rewarded.

EricTheWeary

If I was offered one for something outstanding I'd done then I probably would. I have met a couple of Dames and their titles, I'm pretty sure, were just the outcome of reaching seniority in the civil service. I'm not saying they are bad people but they already had money, status and privilege so as a reward the title might have been better used elsewhere.

ronniescott

Of course I would. My old boss got an MBE and he was chuffed. He didn't think he deserved it but was chuffed all the same. And why not. 

mellowsun

I know a few people that have them for being time-serving civil servants. 

The whole system should be scrapped imho 

ewal

mellowsun said:

I know a few people that have them for being time-serving civil servants. 

The whole system should be scrapped imho 

Not just time served civil servants but time served military officers too.

Obviously I'd never accept one, however I apparently already have a share in one as the CEO of the Council where I work said when she picked up her MBE that she was accepting on behalf of all her staff. Personally I thought that was a load of old bollocks...

merlin

I can't help thinking that the very reasons for doing community/charity work would be totally devalued by accepting an honour from a system that creates a need for community/charity work. 

If your intentions are just then you don't need validation. 

scrumhalf

I'm proud to be an OBE - Ordinary Bloke of England.

There are millions of us, and without us  (and the female equivalent) the country would be fucked.

I don't need letters before or after my name to validate me.

Jaycee

yes CBR1000 would do very nicely

Blueingreen

Let's just say I'm dubious about people who like to claim that they'd put moral principles first and wouldn't be greedy for money/status/power in theoretical situations.  From my observation:

- percentage of people who claim they'd act out of principle and refuse honours/cash etc in such a theoretical situation = remarkably high

- percentage of people who actually do when put to the test = remarkably low

Call me an old cynic but my conclusion is that an awful lot of people out there are flattering themselves, or trying to delude the rest of us about the nobility of their character.