What is Humility
and what it is not
There are many counterfeit versions of humility that have tarnished the name of this virtue by conflating it with a wet form of obsequient self deprecation. Poverty, not taking credit for one’s work, rejecting beauty, rejecting the enjoyment of life, the celebration of one’s victories, or of victory in general, are some examples of these self important pretenders. (Ironic isn’t it how often the “humble” have pride in their “humility”). The result is that the virtue is neglected by all who refuse the human instinct to endeavour toward greatness, and a false version of humility is proselytized by those who secretly just doubt their aptitude for victory, and so wish to transform their ineptitude into a virtue. But the bottom line is, it is good to win, to be rich, to endeavour toward beauty, abundance and excellence. Rejecting these is not “humility” and the pursuit of them is not “pride”.
What is humility then, if it is not a rejection of victory, abundance and accomplishment?
It’s humility that makes you love God most because it makes you realize how much you are blessed with that you likely don’t even deserve. And not the false hand-wringing humility of the politician or the vain religious zealot. But the kind of humility that is a sword tempered against your own worst self, your own arrogance and pride that wear the face of your victories and your accomplishments. You must pull back their stolen masks and see them for the enemies they are. For they were your virtues that made you win, not your pride, though she likes to take the credit. It was your surrender to excellence and not your arrogant claim to it that made that muse touch your shoulder when you were victorious. Pride is a part of you, a rotten part, and the greatest pride of all is believing you can ever fully get rid of it and relax your garrisons against it. The worthwhile endeavour toward humility is not a showy pursuit of poverty or self deprecation, but rather, a noble battle to constantly remind yourself that everything good about you is thanks to the grace of God. Nothing more. And everything evil about you is something your pride would like to conceal from you. Nothing less.
Painting: Sir W Russell Flint from the illustrations of The Canterbury Tales of Geoffrey Chaucer, 1913
Love this post, thank you megha
So true. I have an acquaintance who once gave me an hour-long dissertation on how humble he was, despite his many great accomplishments, which of course he accomplished all on his own. In his telling he was the most humble person on the planet. He complained about the fact that such a humble person as himself had always had to work for self-important assholes. Apparently, every boss he ever had fit that description. He told me that in spite of this, he achieved great things throughout his career, which he described to me in great detail. Through it all, he remained incredibly humble.