“Humility and resignation are our prime virtues.” —John Dryden “It was pride that changed angels into devils; it is humility that makes men as angels.´ —St. Augustine “Humility,that low,sweet root, fromwhichall heavenlyvirtuesshoot.” —Thomas Moore “Wecome nearest to the great when we are great inhumility.” —Rabindranath Tagore “True humility – the basis of the Christian system – is the low but deep and firm foundation of all virtues.”
—Edmund Burke
“Blessed are the weak: for they shall inherit the earth.” —The Bible “Inpeace, there isnothingthat befitsa man so much as modest stillnessandhumility.” —Shakespeare “The first condition of humaneness is a little humility and a little diffidence about the correctness of one’s conduct and a little receptiveness.” —Gandhi
“I claim to be a simple individual liable to err like any other fellow mortal. I own, however, that I have humility enough to confess my errors and to retrace my steps.” —Gandhi.
Humility is recognised as a virtue in all religions. Many other virtues spring from or gather lustre from it. Humility does not mean self debasement or denying one’s merits, talents and accomplishments. It means that we should not place ourselves on a higher pedestal than others –even when we far exceed them in talents and achievements. Even if one is rich and powerful, one should not feel a sense of superiority over the poor and weak. One should judge oneself in relation to one’s abilities, and consider whether one has utilized them in full measure. One should, from a religious point of view, try to utilize one’s abilities in performing duties towards God and fellow men. The fact that one has greater talents and means than others indicates that one has greater responsibilities towards them. Thinking about what we have done in relation to what we could have done serves as a corrective to pride and arrogance.
Traditionally vanity, pride and arrogance have been regarded as the vices opposed to humility. Vanity leads to ostentation or ‘showing off’, putting on airs and looking down upon others. It creates a superiority complex which others find insufferable. Especially those in power become self complacent and easily get addicted to flattery. Those who think well of themselves tend to think ill of others. Modesty and humilityact as antidotes to ostentation and self righteousness.
Humility along with other similar virtues formed the basis of early Christianity. These are meekness, mercifulness and peaceableness. Love, goodness and gentleness go with humility. Historically, these were considered virtues of the masses or the poor and the wretched. The rulers and warriors of Roman times (towards the end of which Christianity arose) were full of martial pride and royal insolence. In those days, the rich nobles and royalty looked down upon people from lowersocial strata. Many commentatorsobservethat early Christianitypreached virtueswhichwere diametrically opposed to the military traditions and virtues of Roman society. The famous saying that the meek shall inherit the earth (in a non theological sense) means that the poor will come to share in the power. In a way, it is a prophecy that the society will be eventually democratized. This is of course a secular, as opposed to a religious interpretation.
Things have changed with the advent of modern democratic spirit. Elected leaders go out of their way now to put on airs of humility. They are never tired of paying tribute to the wisdom of masses and to folk ways. Leaving aside the question of genuineness of the sympathy towards the poorwhich politicians express, there is littledoubt that humility is especially a virtue in those vested with power. Humility will serve to ward off the insolence that usually goes with power. Humility will enable political leaders and administrators to approach ordinary people in a polite and courteous manner.Nothing is moregalling to sufferingcitizensthan to put up withthearrogant andpatronizing ways of bureaucracy. Unless public servants cultivate humility,they will be unable to show concern and consideration towards the problems of common people. Public servants should regard their duty as service to people. They should not regard themselves as rulers or bosses. They are trustees of power which ultimately is derived from people.