At what point does confidence in your knowledge and abilities crossover into arrogance? Is arrogance backed by solid skills and knowledge neccessarily a bad thing?
Thoughts??
Sun Martial Arts Blog With Hosts: Master Tim Baker, Master Dave Pryga, and Mr. Matt Dowds
16 comments:
Arrogance-bad:Humility-good
Besides, what is there to be arrogant about when all it takes to make me weak as a baby is an unseen micro-oranism or an even smaller virus.
Admittedly, it feels good when the forms are clicking and the joints (knees, shoulders) aren't. When you compare what you were with what you are (in the area of skills and abilitities).
But, then I see someone who is afflicted with a debilitating disease and her hopes are still high. Or someone who has lost a leg, or more, and his spirit has not dimmed. A mother or father who has lost a child. Then I am humbled to the point of sackcloth and ashes. If I keep my focus on things that I consider really important (insert your list here), well, arrogance just doesn't raise its head.
Not to mention, it would be embarrassing as hell to act cocky and arrogant just before the inevitable humbling experience comes (whatever it may be), and it will come.
SUN...Agreed.
However,
How should we define arrogance?
If someone is good at something, should they pretend their not?
I know several people who are quite skilled and experienced in their chosen field. They are not afraid to let someone know that they are right and you are wrong.(even when they could be wrong) I believe in their mind, they truly feel they are always right.
I would like some insight as in how to understand and deal with these types of people.
Ah, I confess, that's me. Sometimes I just have to agree to disagree with people. Unless of course they show me where I missed it, then I'll give in. And I do get it wrong all the time but I try to be thorough in my knowledge and training.
I think pretending to be not good at something when you are good at it is probably false humility.
I think confidence can be mistaken for arrogance. It's a fine line. It's probably where one's heart lies. Am I trying to correct someone because I'm right and they are wrong or am I trying to show someone a better way.
Confidence with the absence of humility is arrogance.
I remember a phrase that goes something like; confidence is seen by others while arrogance is heard.
I like that.
SUN!
Humility is the acceptance of truth that enables obedience and leads to life...Fr. John Corapi.
I found a nice description and comparrison of Humility and arrogance in a homily I'll share with you below.
A Homily:
Arrogance and Vainglory
(Homily for Twenty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C)
For people who are not Christians, one of the hardest things to understand is why we consider pride to be a sin. In our contemporary culture people generally use the word "pride" in a positive sense. For example, it is a good thing to take pride in ones work. It means to strive for excellence. We all prefer a mechanic who takes pride in his work and we encourage our young people to take pride in who they are and what they do.
We also use the word to signify a type of gratitude, for instance, to take pride in ones country. I am proud of being an American because I recognize the achievements and benefits of my country. That pride - up to a certain point - can actually be a form of humility because whatever goodness pertains to the United States has almost nothing to do with my tiny contribution, but is something I have received as a gift. Pride in ones country, ones family, ones parish is - up to a certain point - a form of gratitude and humility.*
Pride in the sense of acknowledging a gift a received and of striving for excellence is obviously a very positive thing. However, in the Bible the word pride has a different sense. The great English writer Dorothy Sayers expressed well the biblical meaning of pride: "It is the endeavor to be 'as God,' making self instead of God, the center about which the will and desire revolve." The Latin word for this is Suberbia which can be translated as "arrogance." Miss Sayers continues: "In its narrower and more specific sense pride exhibits itself as Vainglory (Vana Gloria) - an egotism so overweening that it cannot bear to occupy any place but the first, and hates and despises all fellow creatures out of sheer lust for domination." When Christians speak of pride as the head and root of all sin, they are referring to arrogance and vainglory.
It is against this sense of pride that Sirach and Jesus are fighting in today's readings. When Sirach says, "What is too sublime for you, seek not," he is not discouraging study and research, but combating a certain type of arrogance: You may have authority in one field, say education, but that does not make you an expert in medicine or economics. Know your limitations. Jesus goes a bit further. He tells us to "take the lowest place." Someone who took that admonition very seriously was St. Martin de Porres. He is shown holding a broom because he always sought the humblest jobs in his religious community. That did not prevent his great gifts from eventually shining through. By humbling himself he achieved very great things.
To recognize ones own false pride can be a liberating experience. Many of you remember Charles Colson. He was one of the villains of the Watergate scandal and he went to prison for his crimes. He was an arrogant man who thought he could get away with anything. He once bragged that he would walk over his own grandmother to achieve his goals. In prison Colson read C. S. Lewis' Mere Christianity. The chapter which struck him the hardest was titled "The Great Sin." In it Lewis explains the sin of pride. When he recognized his arrogance for what it was, Colson knelt down in his prison cell and with an abundance of tears, gave his life over to Christ.
We each in some degree need that liberation. We can easily see the arrogance and vainglory of others, but we have a harder time recognizing our own. Mediation, prayer are just a couple tools we have to help us achieve humility - and excellence.
Falcon
Excellent Mr. Falcon.
I feel we have a good grasp on the definition of arrogance. Now...what are some good ways or strategies to deal with people who meet that definition?
Quiet confidence shows and does not have to be spoken.
Also it is important to have an open mind when it comes to any situation, if not an open mind than you are truly through learning.
To deal with this type of situation I feel it is important to stress that to gain knowledge it is import to view all aspects of a technique to fully understand it completely.
When I run up on people who are arrogant and vain glorious I find it helpful to kick their a** and show them them who is really the best...;-) (grinning and rolling eyes)
SUN....:)
The situation is this. I personally know a few people who have alot to offer, and I want to maintain some type of relationship with them. However, they are so damn arrogant I can't stand to be around them for any length of time.
FYI, its nobody associated with PSR or our School. I just can't bring myself to totally cut them loose. What would you do?
Master Hawk -
I've learned that arrogance is often just a cover for deeper insecurities. The attitude or arrogance is just over-compensation for a small... shoe size. Makes me wonder what in their life is missing that they feel the need to dominate others through their arrogance, etc...
Do these individuals have enough positive attributes to offset the BS? If so, maybe it is worth stroking their ego a bit to gain the insight or knowledge they posses.
It is tough as I bounce back and forth between 'life is too short to deal with folks like this' to 'remember it is just business and not personal.' (Brando in the Godfather)
My $.02
Sun!
Master Hawk, my advice (for what it's worth) is to be around them for the length of time you can stand it. Maybe some of YOU will rub off on them (I'm always a better person after being around you for a while, seriously.)
Well I don't know about all that but thank you very much for the compliment Master Crane. I feel I've gotten some good advise and Mr. Dragon and I discussed this a little after class tonight, so I've got a better handle on how to deal. Thanks guys for all the great input.
SUN!
Please share your helpful points if possible. I find myself avoiding the arrogant. If there is a satisfying way to embrace them in something other than a choke hold I'm all ears.
Sun!
I am reminded of what Master Hawk has said.
A pig is a pig, no matter what you try to do with, dress it up, paint it, ect. it is still a pig.
You also need to be careful so not to roll in the mud with the pig, because the pig enjoys rolling in the mud and getting dirty.
To add my own take on this: A pig has a very limited view on things, his view on life.
However the great eagle soars above it all, and sees much with it's great eye sight.
The eagle has a much better view of the bigger picture.
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