I believe the highest virtue a person can possess is humility. However, what do I mean by the word humility? Humility is the opposite of pride. I define pride as not realizing one’s own nature, which for humans would necessarily imply acknowledging the possibility of being wrong. With that underscored, here are what I consider incorrect statements about humility.
- Humility means devaluing your opinion. No, you can be humble while having very strong opinions about any and all subjects.
- Humility means thinking everyone is better than you. No, you can reckon yourself to have superior reasoning or technical skills than someone else and still be humble.
- Humility means denying the virtues you possess. No, you can tell other people that you are humble and still be humble. I view myself as humble and I don’t hesitate to say that.
Humility as I define it is simply being aware of who you really are. I happen to know that I am not infallible (and I tend to think everyone else isn’t either) and so being humble principally means that I admit I could be wrong about anything. This includes my views on religion, science, politics, philosophy, relationships, and any other possible category. I have strong views in all of these areas and I don’t think I am wrong (or I wouldn’t believe as I do) but I do think that I could possibly be wrong.
Humility is an easier virtue to acquire if you have had some beliefs that you used to believe adamantly but then later realized were completely indefensible. Once this has happened in one area, as it did for me, it makes it much easier to be honest with yourself that you just can’t say for sure, even though you may hold strong beliefs.
Humility is a very simple concept but I am amazed at how many people lack it. Why is it so hard to say, “I am not 100% sure; I could be wrong”? Humility does not equate to skepticism, which usually implies extreme incredulity except when there is undeniable evidence. You can be humble and believe whatever you want; you just have to honestly admit that you could be mistaken.
I could be mistaken about the existence of an eternal mind. I could be mistaken about the reality of an afterlife. And if it is possible that I could be mistaken about those things, it is possible that I could be mistaken about anything.
Embracing the concept that you could be wrong about anything can be a very frightening proposition. However, the amazing thing about embracing humility is how much it liberates you. When you truly know yourself, you can finally experience the joy of asking questions without presuppositions. You can respect and learn from the beliefs and opinions of every person you come in contact with. You can embark upon the ultimate challenge of seeking knowledge.