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Daniel Melgar's avatar

Great post but your use of “humble” and “humility” is misplaced.

Let us put to rest the misuse of and confusion with the words “humility” and “humble”:

To quote, once again, from The Princess Bride, “You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.” (Inigo Montoya)

Humble: “having or showing a modest estimate of one's value or importance; not arrogant or self-important”. (Oxford Dictionary)

Humility is not the antidote to “arrogance” (or having an inflated opinion of one's own importance or abilities). Besides, most people misuse the word arrogance when someone is simply exuding confidence in their talents.

This is just another example of hatred of the good for being the good.

Humility is not acknowledging your weaknesses, it means “having a modest view of one's value or importance”. (See Oxford Dictionary) Honesty is the word (and the virtue) you are actually seeking: it means being “free of deceit; truthful and sincere”. (See “Honest” in Oxford Dictionary)

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Sotiris Rex's avatar

Thank you for added context. True, humble, humbleness, humility, humiliation… vastly different meanings and interpretations for each of these words.

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Brian Ferguson's avatar

Sotiris, Another good read, thank you. Have you read the essay, “A Sky Without Eagles” by Jack Donovan? His theory of vertically vs horizontally oriented people (he focuses his work on men, if you are not familiar) aligns to your points here.

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Sotiris Rex's avatar

Very interesting. I haven’t read it but now I want to. Thanks!

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Bart Bounds's avatar

Thanks again Sotiris. Although it is something I have (or think I have) worked past, you have helped me see and better understand past foibles.

Good stuff for sure.

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Sotiris Rex's avatar

Thank you, Bart. My goal here is to share actionable insight that might help someone one day. If I can help one person, then all this time I spend here is worth it.

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Bart Bounds's avatar

Well your insights have brought clarity to some of mine. This in turn has helped temper my frustration and disappointment with humanity. Thus, it enables the navigation of this morass and hopefully bring along others.

Peace.

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Sotiris Rex's avatar

Peace, Bart.

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