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Harmony, Generosity, Humility, Recognition, Greatness, Modesty, Gratitude, Nobility

Respect, honor (timē τιμή): the respectability an honorable man accrues with accomplishment (cultural, political, martial), per his station in life.

Definition​

  • humility means recognition of the virtue of others
  • humility means: upon public recognition of one's virtues, accepting the minimum that is merited
  • greatness is virtue recognized by others
  • "noblesse oblige" means the duty to recognize the virtue of others when your virtues are recognized
  • evocatio: bringing foreign gods for worship
  • false humility is of 3 types:
    • rejection of others' recognition of one's virtues (when the virtues are factual)
    • signaling humility about a virtue without being recognized for that virtue first
    • assigning a different value to the concept of "humility" in the hierarchy of virtues than its earned value

Greatness and Modesty​

Greatness is a virtue that is part of the highest group while Modesty is part of the middle group. They have synergy: Modesty is acted as contrast to emphasize Greatness.

Greatness is acted always in the name or interest of an institution or ethos while Modesty is acted as an individual. Both of them have to be humble: Greatness is not enacted in the name of an undeserving ethos.

Modesty cannot exist if Greatness is not enacted by the same actor: it would serve no function by itself. However: Greatness can exist without Modesty. Both virtues are external actions in relation to others (while Humility is mainly internal).

Examples of Enactment​

  • the Christian priest dresses sumptuously while he officiates the service in the church: Greatness. While he dresses modestly outside the church.
  • the Muslim women dress modestly outside their homes. They dress beautifully inside.
  • during Hindu ceremonies they dress children actors as deities. When the ceremony is over: they are treated just like any other kid.

Gratitude, Humility, Recognition, Harmony - 2 Kinds​

All of them have a dual nature: they can be lived as an individual or as an institution. In other words: one can recognize the virtues of another (person or institution) while representing his own pperson or while representing an ethos. When they are lived while representing one's own person: these virtues are part of the middle group. While they are lived from inside the ethos: they are part of the highest group.

Correspondences​

  • Christianity
    • Humility: Often considered the greatest virtue in Orthodoxy, humility is the foundation of a true Christian life.
  • Judaism
    • Anavah (Humility): Humility is seen as recognizing one's place in the world relative to God and others.
  • Islam
    • Haya (Modesty and Humility): It involves modesty not just in dress and behavior but also in attitude, promoting humility and decency.
  • Buddhism
    • Dāna (pāramī): generosity, giving of oneself
  • Hinduism
    • Santosha (सन्तोष): contentment, acceptance of others and of one's circumstances as they are, optimism for self
  • Taoism
    • Humility (謙, Qian): Recognizing one's small place in the vastness of the universe and approaching life with modesty and humility.
  • Confucianism
    • Wēn (文, Cultural Refinement): Wen refers to the appreciation and cultivation of arts, literature, and culture, which are seen as important for personal development and social refinement.
    • modesty (让; ràng)

Applications​

  • Gratitude has the rare characteristic of building upon itself: you can be grateful for the fact that you are grateful. That makes gratitude a good subject of meditation. Oroboros is a symbol of gratitude.