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January 2 - Understanding Humility: The Cornerstone of Virtue

Writer's picture: Anna KlinmanAnna Klinman


humility

Today, we will explore the meaning of humility. It is a virtue often misunderstood and overshadowed by misconceptions. I believe that by learning about and encouraging humility in ourselves, we can more easily learn and maintain other values.


To fully understand the meaning of humility, let us start by diving into its complex nature. As Edgar H. Schein puts it, there are three forms of humility that help us to understand its meaning. The first is the humility we experience in the presence of elders and dignitaries, recognizing their wisdom and the lessons they offer. The second we feel when we meet people who inspire us with their achievements, leaving us humbled by their significance. Finally, there is the "here and now" humility, coming from our occasional reliance on others for help.


In society today, humility often suffers from misinterpretation. It is mistakenly associated with being meek, subdued, or considering oneself unworthy. As Hess and Ludwig explain, humility is far from these common associations. It is a mindset that allows us to be open-minded, self-accurate, and free from excessive self-centeredness. Humility empowers us to embrace the world as it is and strive for human excellence. It is about thinking about us less, not thinking less of ourselves.


"On the highest throne in the world, we still sit only on our own bottom." Michel De Montaigne


In our society, there seems to be a need to feel special and superior to others. If you have ever seen the movie The Polar Express, I'm sure you remember the Know-It-All boy who thinks he knows everything about trains and constantly corrects and jumps in on conversations. No one wants to be this obnoxious kid! We constantly compare ourselves, trying to keep up with social media and movie stars. Trying to keep up with unattainable perfection is an exhausting cycle of self-inflation and belittlement. By constantly puffing ourselves up or putting others down, we hold back our own growth and prevent the potential for learning and improvement.


To cultivate true humility, we must acknowledge the partial nature of our understanding and recognize the intelligence and value in others, as Hess and Ludwig explain. This acceptance enables us to appreciate diverse perspectives and remain open to new ideas, contradictory information, and advice. It calls us to maintain an accurate assessment of our abilities and achievements, keeping them in perspective, without excessive self-enhancement or self-promotion. Because of these ideas, I hesitate to share this blog on social media. I understand that it is what it takes to spread this message to the wider world and help change the direction we are going, but it pains me to do it myself! If you find these posts helpful and important, please help me by sharing them, since I have such a hard time sharing them myself!


Being humble is not being modest or self-deprecating, it goes beyond surface-level appearances. It is an underlying ability to be teachable, to shed pretenses, and to understand our place in the grand scheme of things. It allows us to recognize the potential for pain, fear, and the erosion of human relationships that lay within prejudices such as racism and sexism. Because of this, I believe that being humble should be our new goal as a society, so that we can better deal with these issues.

Sometimes, we might wrongly believe that if we are truly humble, we won't even be aware of our humility. In order to dismiss this misunderstanding, let’s focus on the opposite, pride. We can see people strutting and puffing themselves up, craving attention and validation. In doing so, we may catch glimpses of our own tendencies toward self-centeredness, especially in the area of social media, where personal branding often takes precedence over genuine connection.


One of the best parts of humility is that we can watch it in action by observing others. I love meeting and being around friends that project a quiet confidence, possess an infectious laughter that makes everyone around them smile, and really uplift others. People like these remind me of the power and beauty of humility and inspire me to nurture these qualities within myself.


Journal prompt: Reflect on a time when you witnessed someone displaying humility in their actions or words. How did their humility inspire or influence you? Consider how you can incorporate similar qualities of humility into your own life.


humility

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