The Idea of being cheap ( Simply, What is izzat?)

Consider these two stories.

1) Chinglai-ngamba is a farmer. He earns his livelihood earnestly. He lives a Proud life of being self sufficient and not depending on anyone else. He bosses to everyone how he is able to effort square meals a day without anyone's help. For him, asking help from someone or getting something for free from the Govt. is cheap/ izzat leitaba mee or simply arem apa paamba mee. |He lived a classy elitist life, not showing anyone that he was very poor economically inside. He was mentally rich. No one would believe that he is a poor man. Though he lived a double faced life(not being original), he earned a huge social status/capital. He was born a farmer, he died a farmer. ( I am not sure whether his family members were happy because he left some cultivable land). I am also not sure whether he is regarded as 'izzat leiba mee' in his leikai stories, because for them, the concept of izzat leiba has changed to someone who throws money. But his grandchildren were sure that they would have prosper manifold if he shedded some of his Ego.

2) Leimai-touba is also a farmer. In addition to earning his livelihood by working, he listens to radio just to take a note of the arrival of monsoon and know about the latest weedicides/fertilizers in the market. He is never hesitant to ask help from anyone. He always searches for incentives/free gift from the Govt. or anyone in the form of subsidized schemes or HYV seeds. He also knows that Nothing is free even if its being tagged as 'free'. He openly roams around in a khudei and tattered clothes, knowing that he will overcome them all, once he gets rich. He flashes his poor man's card in the open. People say he is an 'izzat leitaba mee'/ 'arem apa paamba mee'. But this man, never stole anything from anyone. Whatever he gets is all legitimate. He also believes in an inter-dependent society where we ask help from one another. He was original, true to his self and never lived a 'manung mapaan naaiba' Life. Pride has nothing to do with his social status. According to him, social status is only derived from economic status. Even if he is in tattered clothes, he believes that people will be obliged to respect him someday because of his wealth. His poor man's rhetoric is the most powerful tool he used to woo people to help him. He climbed the social ladder of heirarchy before he died. He was born a farmer and died a business man. He left a huge fortune for his family. His near and dear ones are all proud of him. People talk about him in 'leikai stories' even after he died.




Which farmer is better?