Window or Mirror?

“Imitate Jesus and Socrates.”

1. Modest and unassuming in attitude and behavior
2. Feeling or showing respect and deference toward other people
3. Relatively low in rank and without pretensions

Humility is not a peculiar habit of self-effacement, rather like having an inaudible voice, it is a selfless respect for reality and one of the most difficult and central of all the virtues. - Iris Murdoch

If you hear that someone is speaking ill of you, instead of trying to defend yourself you should say: “He obviously does not know me very well, since there are so many other faults he could have mentioned.” - Epictetus

Blame yourself as you would blame others; excuse others as you would excuse yourself. - Chinese proverb

Franklin’s advice is simple and direct – imitate two people who were known to have the virtue of humility. The quotes suggest some of the qualities of humility; respect for your position in the Universe, self-effacing humor, treating yourself as you’d have others treat you, and so forth. In order to get Franklin’s point, we’ll have to take a look at the lives of both Socrates and Christ. Read the rest of this entry »