Random Ramblings

Humility and Hubris

30 Day Blog Challenge Day 7: "The trouble with most of us, is that we would rather be ruined by praise than saved by criticism." Do you feel this is a valid statement? Tell us why you feel the way you do.

Name a single person who doesn't like praise.

Sure, there are those of us that cannot seem to accept compliments and awkwardly avoid them whenever they arrive. I myself do not know how to react when I get one in person. It's so much easier to collect your thoughts on a screen than it is to voice them in real-time.

So I'll shuffle my feet, look away and try not to blush as I stammer my thanks. Somehow, the kind praise has made me feel more uncomfortable than straight up criticism would. I guess it's because I expect criticism. With every story, I want to know what's wrong and why it didn't work and where I could improve.

That's not to say I don't want to hear good things. Everybody loves validation. It lets us know we're on the right track, that our instincts haven't led us astray. The problem herein lies with TOO much of a good thing.

A person who constantly hears people saying that so-and-so is the greatest thing since sliced bread will walk around thinking the sun shines outta their ass. Humility comes with failure. Hubris comes with success.

If you meet a self-made man/woman who is humble and grounded, chances are they bled and sweat and worked that butt off to get to that level. But it's not always the case. You will always come across the ones that feel they deserved it. Pride is a slippery slope, isn't it? There's a reason that it's considered the deadliest of all sins.

The ancient Greeks believed this. The word 'hubris' was synonymous with sin, for in their eyes it was terrible thing to be arrogant and overconfident. Only the gods were allowed such luxury. And even those immortals were prone to making fatal errors because of it!

We can all feel accomplishment in our achievements. Nobody is refuting that. To look over at your hard earned trophies and bask in their glory isn't a sin, it's a right. But never let those victories go to your head.

I think the prompt statement is a true one, it's a human predisposition and one the entire population struggles with each day. I have my own demons to wrestle, especially when I lose a writing contest.

We should never be afraid to fail. Failure teaches better life lessons than victory ever could.