Guest guest Posted May 18, 2001 Report Share Posted May 18, 2001 Connie: Well, the Merriam Webster dictionary defines hubris as exaggerated pride or self confidence... however, in my understanding of the word, it is something slightly more edgy, like delusions of grandeur. As one author put it, " that madness that drives mortals to aspire to the perfection of the divine " , or an urge to tempt Fate and defy the gods. In that frame, Icarus trying to fly to heaven with wax wings is the ultimate in hubris. It's considered to be a common " character flaw " in Greek tragedy. Hubris is also the characteristic that is used (usually in retrospect) when a political leader insists on being named as a god, as Egyptian pharoahs or Roman emperors. In modern parlance, a corporate giant like Bill Gates might be seen as an example of hubris. Hubris is the trait that led to the old expression " the bigger they are, the harder they fall " . Hubris is not about accomplishment, but in lack of gratitude and attribution for it. A person filled with hubris might be said to believe they gave birth to themselves, are ten foot tall and bulletproof, maybe even teflon coated ;-) When I asked about hubris, and where the line is, I think that I was trying to get at the question of how we can tell when we are being realistic with ourselves; realistic in the sense of being able to recognize and utilize our abilities, but to also be able to acknowledge that we cannot create something from nothing. Here is a joke about hubris: Science has advanced to the point where most scientists were convinced that God had become obsolete. So, a contingent was dispatched to tell Him that He was no longer needed. They told him they understood the way things worked, and had just plotted the human genome; in fact, they believed that they could create life, which made God unnecessary. God pondered this, then challenged the scientists to a contest. " Let's both make a man the 'old fashioned' way, " He suggested, " like I did back in Genesis. " The scientists eagerly agreed, and started scooping up soil. " Oh, no, no, " God laughed. " Find your own dirt! " Laughing Crow tink-im wrote: > Dear Caroline: > Whats a hubris? > love > connie > > > Caroline Abreu <carocrow > > > > Looking at ego (seems to be a good thing to look at this week)... how much ego > > > do > > we need to pay attention to our intuition, our internal locus of control and > > motivation, and where is the line that crosses over into hubris? What do you > > think comprises the balance between the physical realities of the body and the > > > boundless potential of the mind? > > > > Blessings, > > Crow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 19, 2001 Report Share Posted May 19, 2001 Dear Caroline: ahh, that is gonna be one of my new favorot words. I meet many folks in the medical community with this hubris. Find you own dirt, LOLOL love, connie > Caroline Abreu <carocrow > > Fri, 18 May 2001 12:50:09 -0400 > > Hubris > > Connie: > > Well, the Merriam Webster dictionary defines hubris as exaggerated pride or > self > confidence... however, in my understanding of the word, it is something > slightly > more edgy, like delusions of grandeur. As one author put it, " that madness > that > drives mortals to aspire to the perfection of the divine " , or an urge to tempt > Fate and defy the gods. In that frame, Icarus trying to fly to heaven with > wax > wings is the ultimate in hubris. It's considered to be a common " character > flaw " > in Greek tragedy. > > Hubris is also the characteristic that is used (usually in retrospect) when a > political leader insists on being named as a god, as Egyptian pharoahs or > Roman > emperors. In modern parlance, a corporate giant like Bill Gates might be seen > as > an example of hubris. Hubris is the trait that led to the old expression > " the > bigger they are, the harder they fall " . > > Hubris is not about accomplishment, but in lack of gratitude and attribution > for > it. A person filled with hubris might be said to believe they gave birth to > themselves, are ten foot tall and bulletproof, maybe even teflon coated ;-) > > When I asked about hubris, and where the line is, I think that I was trying to > get > at the question of how we can tell when we are being realistic with ourselves; > realistic in the sense of being able to recognize and utilize our abilities, > but > to also be able to acknowledge that we cannot create something from nothing. > > Here is a joke about hubris: > > Science has advanced to the point where most scientists were convinced that > God > had become obsolete. So, a contingent was dispatched to tell Him that He was > no > longer needed. > > They told him they understood the way things worked, and had just plotted the > human genome; in fact, they believed that they could create life, which made > God > unnecessary. > > God pondered this, then challenged the scientists to a contest. > > " Let's both make a man the 'old fashioned' way, " He suggested, " like I did > back in > Genesis. " > > The scientists eagerly agreed, and started scooping up soil. > > " Oh, no, no, " God laughed. " Find your own dirt! " > > Laughing Crow > > tink-im wrote: > >> Dear Caroline: >> Whats a hubris? >> love >> connie >> >>> Caroline Abreu <carocrow >>> >>> Looking at ego (seems to be a good thing to look at this week)... how much >>> ego >> >>> do >>> we need to pay attention to our intuition, our internal locus of control and >>> motivation, and where is the line that crosses over into hubris? What do >>> you >>> think comprises the balance between the physical realities of the body and >>> the >> >>> boundless potential of the mind? >>> >>> Blessings, >>> Crow > > > **************************************** > Visit the community page: > For administrative problems -owner > To , - > > All messages, files and archives of this forum are copyright of the > group and the individual authors. > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 19, 2001 Report Share Posted May 19, 2001 crow I l o v e d the joke about the contest G-d vs scientists. where do you take these anecdotes from? i've always felt gratitude is very central in our life. I wish i could practice it more with my close relatives, i tend to be forgetful in this matter. Anat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 19, 2001 Report Share Posted May 19, 2001 Anat: It seems that, like my Grandfather, I am a repository of trivial information, including the ability to remember stories and jokes. Or maybe, it's the badger medicine (yes, I work with badgers, too ;-) Aren't our families great crucibles? We learn so much from them, how to do things, how not to do things. By their support, or lack of it, we develop our skills. I think that gratitude is the grounding factor, and that the more we practice it, the more we find to be grateful for. At first we can see the obvious, big, " good " things, but eventually we can learn to feel gratitude for opportunities, lessons, and even missed chances, as we observe the cloth rather than focusing on the thread. I'm constantly reminded that although I may feel responsibility and credit for doing something, there is nothing that I have ever done without the contribution, on some level, of someone or something else. Just look at those talking heads on the awards shows ;-) I've never seen more grateful people in my life <LOL> Blessings, Crow pine wrote: > crow > > I l o v e d the joke about the contest G-d vs scientists. > > where do you take these anecdotes from? > > i've always felt gratitude is very central in our life. > I wish i could practice it more with my close relatives, i tend to be > forgetful > in this matter. > > Anat > > **************************************** > Visit the community page: > For administrative problems -owner > To , - > > All messages, files and archives of this forum are copyright of the group and the individual authors. > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.