Hubris vs humility

A person with a classic case of hubris is defined as someone having exaggerated pride or self-confidence. According to Merriam-Webster, English picked up both the concept of hubris and the label for cockiness from the ancient Greeks who considered it as a seriously dangerous character flaw that was capable of provoking the gods.

We understand this somewhat from Greek mythology where hubris becomes the downfall of a tragic hero after offending the gods due to extreme pride and ambition.

In modern day however, where the power of the people, to me, has become as loud as the voices of the gods in Greek mythology, hubris has most of the time been deeply associated with politicians who exude a strong sense of entitlement.

Of course, this character flaw does not only focus on politicians as other industries have their own set of issues that manifests the same dangerous trait, not to mention even in families.

But in the world of politics however, more and more people have been awakened to the culture of hubris and how it affects society.

The opposite of hubris is the virtue of humility. It is the one quality that makes people more attractive to others.  Humble people understand fully their strengths and weaknesses. Humility allows people the possibility of making mistakes while a lack of it prevents one from recognizing and acknowledging their errors.

Remaining humble helps us to take the steps we need toward self-improvement by being receptive as opposed to arrogance which deters us from bettering ourselves.

Time and again many of us have said that the voice of the people at this time in our society is quite deafening. Not only has change been in the air but also a strong social awakening has shaken our society and certain virtues have become more appreciated especially when it comes to leadership.

Gone are the days when people held a higher regard for the self assured whose thinking is that the humble are easily trampled on. On a spiritual level, God himself places great emphasis on humility and pride is His biggest pet peeve.

Whatever way we choose to look at it, whether it be from a religious, spiritual or mythological standpoint, hubris is simply ugly and people with so much of it have lost touch with reality.

Humility on the other hand is one of the most important characteristics of a good leader and more importantly, it is a catalyst for empowerment.