Hubris, Humiliation and Humility

Hubris, Humiliation and Humility

The alliteration of hubris, humiliation and humility depicts the process of ego deflation that persons who are not teachable inevitably undergo to realize their dreams and goals.  Some people hardly complete graduate school programs as they repel professors because of their arrogance and “know-it-all” attitude.  Coaches will not tolerate players who are unwilling to learn new offensive and defensive approaches.  Experienced actors ruin theatre productions and movies as they are unwilling to follow directors’ instructions.  Financial counselors have their hardest cases with broke geniuses.  Marriages suffer greatly and perhaps terminate in divorce because a man refuses to unlearn what he knows about love and become willing to learn how to love his wife in ways that affirm her.  These examples share the common theme of intractable hubris.  Irreversibly and unavoidably, persons collide with humiliation as their unbridled and unrelenting pride causes their downfall.  If these persons learn from their ego puncturing experiences, they find genuine humility to achieve their heart’s desires

James Cameron’s Titanic brilliantly depicts raw hubris.  After the famed and previously assumed unsinkable ocean liner irreparably strikes an iceberg which causes a gaping hole in the boat, the captain, designers, builders and other powerful linger in a meeting as the ship continues to sink.  Some persons in the meeting absolutely refuse to believe the boat is sinking though the crew assures them otherwise.  One man protests vociferously, “Titanic is unsinkable!”  As if in a drunken stupor, he and others become paralyze.  As they entertain petrified vestiges of their hubris, the boat continues to sink and lives are lost unnecessarily.  Many more lives could and should have been saved were it not for the maniacal hubris of these men.

During the Clinton Administration, then Russian President Vladimir Putin allowed one hundred and fifty sailors to die in the liquid grave of a severely damaged submarine.  Those Russian sailors radioed for help upon realizing their submarine was damaged and actually sinking.  Interestingly, an American submarine was in the vicinity and alerted the Russian President of the crew’s willingness and eagerness to assistance his countrymen in their hour of need and distress.  Respecting international laws and sovereignty of independent governments, the U S Navy waited for proper orders from top naval brass.  American President Clinton’s hands were tied as he needed Russian President Putin to ask for the assistance of the U S Navy.  Esteeming the pride and self-reliance of Russia above the lives of those sailors, Putin never made the call.  Accordingly, one hundred and fifty Russian families and extended circle of friends suffered great losses resulting from Putin’s intractable hubris.

The biblical character, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, epitomizes the process of hubris, humiliation and humility.  After an evening meal while taking a stroll on his verandah, he congratulates himself as he admires the great nation of Babylon which he takes complete credit for building.  His arrogance equates with a single man assuming ownership for designing and constructing the Roman Empire.  Nevertheless,   Nebuchadnezzar’s swaggering self-aggrandizement enflames God’s wrath.  The Lord permits the Babylonian king to become incapacitated with his own genius; Nebuchadnezzar’s hubris drives him insane.  The king assumes the countenance of a wild animal and wanders aimlessly in the wilderness for an extended period of humiliation.  Imagine the great and mighty King of Babylon, the world’s mightiest nation, groveling in the woods with wild beasts. 

Nebuchadnezzar personifies the misfortunes that await anyone who adamantly refuses to divest himself of his ego.  Such a man persistently alienates people even persons who respect him but do not like him because he is arrogant.  His hard work and diligence turn to rotten fruit before his eyes.  He stands aside and observes success and prosperity of lesser talented people.  His balance sheet fails to reflect his potential and skills.  Chances are he is working a job beneath his abilities and natural endowments.  He soberly concludes he is wasting his life; he operates at a minimal level of productivity.  Yet, the high flame of his untamed and lingering arrogance fuels the stew of his humiliation.

Unconditional admission of truth is the primary step in progressing toward humility.  This quality necessitates willingness to admit your ignorance of various theories and strategies.  Respect for your lack of knowledge qualifies you to receive God’s grace.  People usually are willing to assist someone who is genuinely willing to learn.  Rabbi Harold Kushner posits ego deflation is a non-negotiable means of acquiring genuine spirituality.  Self-reliance inhibits genuine reliance upon God.  The flesh splicing and bloodletting lashes of humiliation are often the surest means to coerce an arrogant person into humility.  When teaching me to drive, my paternal grandfather became rather frustrated because I replied, “I know,” to each pointer he gave.  When he could no longer listen to my arrogance, he said forthrightly, “Listen son, quite possibly you do not know as much as you say you do.  The people who know as much about driving as you claim to know already have a license.  You don’t.”  His fierce admonition humbled me.  In silence, I learned how to drive as my grandfather taught me. 

Be encouraged.  You can recover from divergent forms of hubris.  God demands ego deflation before He imparts His grace and wisdom to anyone.  A person achieves humility as he continually asks Almighty God to remove his character defects.  The combination of ego deflation and persevering through embarrassing situations opens the door to new mysteries, joys and fulfillment of your heart’s deepest desires.