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Humility: The Secret History of a Lost Virtue
This cultural history of humility reveals this lost virtue as a secret defense against arrogance and incivility
History demonstrates that when the virtue of humility is cast aside, excessive individualism follows. A person who lacks humility is at risk of developing a deceptive sense of certitude and at worst denies basic human rights, respect, and dignity to anyone they identify as the enemy.
Humility, a cultural history and biography of the idea of humility, argues that the frightening alternative to humility has been the death of civility. In this book, Bellitto explores humility in Greco-Roman history, philosophy, and literature; in the ancient and medieval Jewish, Christian, and Muslim scriptures and sermons; in the Enlightenment; and in contemporary discussions of education in virtue and citizenship. The author encourages readers to recover and reclaim this lost virtue by developing a new perspective on humility as an alternative to the diseases of hubris, arrogance, and narcissism in society.
This book offers a fresh perspective on this lost virtue for readers interested in finding a path to renewed civility.
History demonstrates that when the virtue of humility is cast aside, excessive individualism follows. A person who lacks humility is at risk of developing a deceptive sense of certitude and at worst denies basic human rights, respect, and dignity to anyone they identify as the enemy.
Humility, a cultural history and biography of the idea of humility, argues that the frightening alternative to humility has been the death of civility. In this book, Bellitto explores humility in Greco-Roman history, philosophy, and literature; in the ancient and medieval Jewish, Christian, and Muslim scriptures and sermons; in the Enlightenment; and in contemporary discussions of education in virtue and citizenship. The author encourages readers to recover and reclaim this lost virtue by developing a new perspective on humility as an alternative to the diseases of hubris, arrogance, and narcissism in society.
This book offers a fresh perspective on this lost virtue for readers interested in finding a path to renewed civility.
- GenresPhilosophy
177 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 1, 2023
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61 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
November 30, 2023
In this lovely short but beautifully dense book, Bellitto explores the history of what most great thinkers have determined as our greatest virtue, humility.
Recognized as important since ancient times, humility pops up constantly (but oddly rare as a main subject until just recently).
Bellitto traces humility over history as its two seemingly-opposing definitions, or incarnations: humility as a stagnant, hierarchal tool for caste enforcement (know your place), and humility as a practical application for individual growth and charity (extinguishing selfishness to live in kindness).
He calls the Middle Ages the “golden age of humility” because it is there where its middle path was recognized as individual responsibility (coinciding with that period’s lovely recognition of amor, the individual’s middle path of love, as that balancing between eros and agape).
That growth of understanding humility in the Middle Ages led to the adulthood of the Age of Enlightenment, and we’ve been ping-ponging back and forth ever since.
Bellitto makes Humility’s discretion and importance clear as in these selected passages:
“Discretion, perspective, and proportion fight against tribal-ism, which is in essence group hubris placing my ethnic group, race, nationality, religion, profession, or some other identity marker above other people's.”
…
“Lacking humility makes you dig in and double down because admitting you're mistaken is seen as humiliating. Willful people impose their views on others. They badger and bulldoze in place of persuading and discussing. They don't care about your feelings but cry if you offend theirs. The more insecure and uninformed they are, the louder and more bullying they act. They fail to be open to the chance that they might be misinformed, mistaken, or—worst of all for their needy egos—not the center of everyone else's universe.
Humility allows you to back down from that stubbornness and from absolute stances. You can admit error: "I realize I was in the wrong. I'll act differently now." A responsible citizen is an informed citizen. That means listening to all parties, becoming fully informed, and then making judicious decisions instead of only grabbing on to the parts of the story that support my self-serving and often ideological preconceptions.”
…
“Humility helps us restore the idea that there is yet something to be learned from somebody else. It gives you an out. That very interaction is a step toward building community with a shared sense of purpose in righting wrongs instead of winning.”
…
“Without humility, the arrogance and dictatorship of power will inevitably threaten our lives and stability—and cause the death of shame. We've witnessed leaders in our families, jobs, schools, neighborhoods, and governments at the local, state, and national levels with no shame. We've come to learn that some people will never do the right thing. Why? Because they have no humility. Without humility, there can be no honor. Never expect honor from people without shame. Don't expect empathy from such people either. That empathy gap is a serious hole in our communities today. It's robbed us of our humanity.”
Humility, the Queen of Virtues, is the answer that we keep coming back to, constantly over time.
Recognized as important since ancient times, humility pops up constantly (but oddly rare as a main subject until just recently).
Bellitto traces humility over history as its two seemingly-opposing definitions, or incarnations: humility as a stagnant, hierarchal tool for caste enforcement (know your place), and humility as a practical application for individual growth and charity (extinguishing selfishness to live in kindness).
He calls the Middle Ages the “golden age of humility” because it is there where its middle path was recognized as individual responsibility (coinciding with that period’s lovely recognition of amor, the individual’s middle path of love, as that balancing between eros and agape).
That growth of understanding humility in the Middle Ages led to the adulthood of the Age of Enlightenment, and we’ve been ping-ponging back and forth ever since.
Bellitto makes Humility’s discretion and importance clear as in these selected passages:
“Discretion, perspective, and proportion fight against tribal-ism, which is in essence group hubris placing my ethnic group, race, nationality, religion, profession, or some other identity marker above other people's.”
…
“Lacking humility makes you dig in and double down because admitting you're mistaken is seen as humiliating. Willful people impose their views on others. They badger and bulldoze in place of persuading and discussing. They don't care about your feelings but cry if you offend theirs. The more insecure and uninformed they are, the louder and more bullying they act. They fail to be open to the chance that they might be misinformed, mistaken, or—worst of all for their needy egos—not the center of everyone else's universe.
Humility allows you to back down from that stubbornness and from absolute stances. You can admit error: "I realize I was in the wrong. I'll act differently now." A responsible citizen is an informed citizen. That means listening to all parties, becoming fully informed, and then making judicious decisions instead of only grabbing on to the parts of the story that support my self-serving and often ideological preconceptions.”
…
“Humility helps us restore the idea that there is yet something to be learned from somebody else. It gives you an out. That very interaction is a step toward building community with a shared sense of purpose in righting wrongs instead of winning.”
…
“Without humility, the arrogance and dictatorship of power will inevitably threaten our lives and stability—and cause the death of shame. We've witnessed leaders in our families, jobs, schools, neighborhoods, and governments at the local, state, and national levels with no shame. We've come to learn that some people will never do the right thing. Why? Because they have no humility. Without humility, there can be no honor. Never expect honor from people without shame. Don't expect empathy from such people either. That empathy gap is a serious hole in our communities today. It's robbed us of our humanity.”
Humility, the Queen of Virtues, is the answer that we keep coming back to, constantly over time.
June 25, 2024
Elegant and profound.
This book weaves together a tapestry of philosophers, artists, and historians, as well as theologians and ethicists, on the idea of humility. It argues that now is the time of humility; it is sorely needed in our society.
I plan to discuss this book with my D&D gaming group, among others, and recommend it to friends.
This book weaves together a tapestry of philosophers, artists, and historians, as well as theologians and ethicists, on the idea of humility. It argues that now is the time of humility; it is sorely needed in our society.
I plan to discuss this book with my D&D gaming group, among others, and recommend it to friends.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews