THE HAUGHTINESS

The haughtiness  as a distortion factor in personal relationships

     As related by the Bible (Is 14.12-14), the haughtiness is the sin committed by Lucifer for to claim to be equal to God. For that reason, is considered the original and most serious of the seven deadly sins, being, in turn,  the source from which all others emanate. Although by itself already represents a significant burden for the individual who suffers it, when presented together with that of envy are a highly destructive to human personality and tend to anger,  understood as a feeling unordered of hatred and annoyance; cause social rejection and leads to the personal isolation. Already St. Thomas, philosopher and theologian of the thirteenth century, had a thought to this subject, saying that the price of  haughtiness is the loneliness.

     Etymologically, the haughtiness is the pride and inordinate desire to be superior, or preferred to others. Encourages the arrogance, the vanity, the egotism and a sense of wanting to be so in real terms is not, denying and contradicting what reason says and advises humility, while limiting its own capabilities to proceed in accordance with due caution, and to treat with respect and consideration to those around us. Moves to the idealization of himself, rising to a higher plane than their peers, limiting the dialogue. Rejects views and orientations, and destroy the bridges of communication with their environment. Is, therefore, cause and reason for many conflicts in all areas in which we move: personal, family, work, etc., without have, in any case, not one positive aspect.

     In the opinion of the philosopher, political and writer italian of fifteenth-century, Niccolo Machiavelli, the nature of  haughtiness people is to show himself extremely insolent in the prosperity, and abject and humble in the adversity. Of this thought can be deduce that the haughtiness never harbors feelings of nobility or greatness, but of cowardice and baseness. The antidote to haughtiness are its antonyms: sobriety, humility, modesty and simplicity.

Sometimes is often taken as synonymous the haughtiness the pride, though not always are comparable. If it is understood by its negative aspects, such as arrogance, vanity and excessive self-esteem, does have some equivalence, but, on the contrary case, if it is understood by its positive aspects: sense of achievement, satisfaction with the work carried out, goals achieved, etc., comes from good causes and can be respected, even esteemed and appreciated. In any case, the main difference between them is that pride can be hidden and no haughtiness.

     The prestigious professor of psychiatry, Dr. Enrique Rojas Montes, in his "psychology of the haughtiness" he says, inter other things, that: "The haughtiness is give himself more credit that the one has. Is the trap of self: estimated well above what really one is. Is a lack of humility and, therefore, of lucidity. The haughtiness is the unbridled passion about himself. Inordinate desire of the person that rests on the hypertrophy of one's own excellence. Is the source and origin of many evils of behavior and is primarily an attitude that is essentially self-worship. His characteristic features are the arrogance, conceit, boastfulness, pride, rise above everyone around him. The intelligence makes a distorted view of themselves in positive, which drags felt the center of everything. A enthusiasm that is personal idolatry".

     After this exposure, would only add that things would improve much if we all reduce our particular dose of haughtiness and increase our share of humility. Sure we would get more respect and consideration of the others, and we would put our grain of sand in the enormous task of making a better world. Even though we put all our best wishes and efforts to achieve it, like any utopia, I'm afraid it will not be achievable. Since it opened pandora's box and spread across de face of The Earth all the ills that afflict humanity, haughtiness among them, have not been able to free ourselves from this curse. But, nevertheless, would be worth to try.

C. Díaz Fdez.

January 26, 2011

P.S. I am sure that there is a person who, in her day, was very close and dear to me who can be seen reflected in everything contained in this short article. Someone who has reached an unusual degree of vileness, and who has turned his arrogance and envy towards those who gave him being into an inexplicable, exacerbated and corrosive hatred. For her I want to remind her that "hate destroys the hater, not the hated." That, without a doubt, will be her earthly penance, which she will carry to the end of her days.