Althouse: "There is no doubt that in exchanging a self-centered for a selfless life we gain enormously in self-esteem."

July 2, 2015

"There is no doubt that in exchanging a self-centered for a selfless life we gain enormously in self-esteem."

"The vanity of the selfless, even those who practice utmost humility, is boundless."

11 comments:

Sydney said...: Ostentatious humility. See it often.; 7/2/15, 7:17 AM
Larry J said...: And then there are people like Sir Nicholas Winton, who died yesterday at age 106. In 1939, he saved the lives of 669 Czechoslovakian children (almost all Jews) as the Nazis invaded the country. Their descendants total over 15,000 people. He told almost no one, not even his wife, about it for 50 years.

Sir Nicholas kept quiet about what he did for 50 years.

His story was only revealed after his wife, Grete, found an old scrapbook that included pictures of the children and detailed the evacuations.

This is a link to a good 60 Minutes segment about him.; 7/2/15, 7:36 AM
Sydney said...: Most prominent example of ostentatious humility today.; 7/2/15, 7:43 AM
ganderson said...: When I think of ostentatious humility I think of that old fraud Gandhi. M. Stanley Dukakis used to ride the subway to work.; 7/2/15, 7:49 AM
chorister said...: "Most prominent example of ostentatious humility today."

But that picture of Bergoglio must be 10 or 15 years old. And something isn't ostentatious if it's of the same tone as everything else you do.; 7/2/15, 8:10 AM
Sydney said...: Someone who is truly humble doesn't have publicity photos of himself doing humble things; 7/2/15, 8:19 AM
Wilbur said...: My literary encounter with Eric Hoffer 40-odd years ago was, if not life-changing, certainly the most intellectually influential one of my life.; 7/2/15, 9:04 AM
Twelve said...: The True Believer might be both the shortest and longest book I've ever read. It's so dense with ideas that trying to take it in quickly is like chewing on a B.B. Bat.; 7/2/15, 9:08 AM
mccullough said...: The Dalai Lama; 7/2/15, 10:47 AM
Nancy Reyes said...: Ah, but the truly selfless are not looking for self esteem. And they are all around you. I know: I am a physician and see such people every day.

34 million Americans are caregivers for the sick, handicapped, and elderly in their families, often sacrificing time, energy and financial gain. Nope, you don't read about them in the news.; 7/2/15, 5:29 PM
rastajenk said...: My only greatness is my unsurpassed modesty.; 7/2/15, 8:09 PM