Temperance in its modern use is defined as moderation or voluntary self-restraint.[1] It is typically described in terms of what an individual voluntarily refrains from doing.[2] This includes restraint from revenge by practicing non-violence and forgiveness, restraint from arrogance by practicing humility and modesty, restraint from excesses such as extravagant luxury or splurging, and restraint from rage or craving by practicing calmness and self-control.[2]
Humility – Refraining from criticizing others.
In his Summa Theologica, Thomas Aquinas defines the scope of temperance: "Temperance, however, considered as a human virtue, deals with the desires of sensible pleasures".[9] The notion of 'sensible pleasure' receives further expansion when he states, "the object of temperance is a good in respect of the pleasures connected with the concupiscence of touch."[10] In addition, he further defines temperance itself by associating it with the forbearing of sensible pleasures, as opposed to the mere toleration of sensible pain, a distinction he highlights when he claims that "the temperate man is praised for refraining from pleasures of touch, more than for not shunning the pains which are contrary to them".[11]
This raises a few general issues. The first is what, if any, specialrequirements there are regarding how we relate to ourselves. Perhapsforcing myself to skip lunch to finish the job is not morally differentfrom forcing someone else to skip lunch to finish the job, but theycertainly feel different. This suggests that we cannot always relate toourselves in the same way as we relate to others.
False Modesty: Theories of modesty also need to beable to distinguish modesty from false modesty. That is, some peoplewho are not modest can act as if they are. This rules out accounts ofmodesty that are entirely behavioral. If being modest is simply amatter of certain external behaviors, then there would be no way todistinguish modesty from false modesty. Modesty and humility requirecertain mental states in addition to overt behaviors.
Weak accuracy accounts are typically motivated by the wish to denythat moral virtues can require epistemic defects like ignorance orfalse beliefs. They differ from strong accuracy accounts, however, inthat they strictly speaking allow that modesty or humility iscompatible with epistemic defects. For most defenders of these views,however, the ideal case will be of moral virtue without any ignoranceor false belief.
Like modesty, the epistemology of disagreement in part turns onwhether or not we have a special relationship with our own states asidefrom more general agent-neutral considerations (see Christensen 2007,335ff.). This affects how we should relate to our own beliefs and howto respond when such beliefs conflict with those of others. This isrelevant to responding to rival philosophical views; see Barnett(forthcoming).
Time and again as Paul defended his integrity, he risked being labeled proud by the false teachers at Corinth. Yet such a designation could not have been more unfair or untrue. Paul had already, by the sovereign plan of God, distinguished himself as the most noble, most influential, most effective earthly servant the church had ever seen, apart from the Lord Jesus Himself. Yet undergirding all his strong character qualities and various motives for defending his integrity was the all-important characteristic of humility.
Humility is important because it sets things in proper order and perspective. The enemy would have us thrown into arrogance and pride, which skews the lens in which we see the world and how we would see others. God wants better for us. It is when we clothe ourselves in humility that our hearts can see things clearly. We recognize that we are not above anyone, rather, we are all unique children of God, equal in His sight. Humility also blesses us to walk in true freedom, no longer weighed down by the weight of competition. It is in seeking a humble spirit that we can walk to be a blessing to others, a blessing to the Kingdom, and to be open to being blessed in return.
This beautiful display of humility can show us the spirit of humility we should have in our relationship with God and others. Jesus was born as a man and died because of his love for us, so we can show him our gratitude by giving him our hearts.
Moral relativism is the view that moral judgments are true or false only relative to some particular standpoint (for instance, that of a culture or a historical period) and that no standpoint is uniquely privileged over all others. It has often been associated with other claims about morality: notably, the thesis that different cultures often exhibit radically different moral values; the denial that there are universal moral values shared by every human society; and the insistence that we should refrain from passing moral judgments on beliefs and practices characteristic of cultures other than our own.
The Gemara relates that the tanna who recited mishnayot and baraitot in the study hall taught a baraita before Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak: Anyone who humiliates another in public, it is as though he were spilling blood. Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said to him: You have spoken well, as we see that after the humiliated person blushes, the red leaves his face and pallor comes in its place, which is tantamount to spilling his blood. Abaye said to Rav Dimi: In the West, i.e., Eretz Yisrael, with regard to what mitzva are they particularly vigilant? Rav Dimi said to him: They are vigilant in refraining from humiliating others, as Rabbi Ḥanina says: Everyone descends to Gehenna except for three.
Perhaps, humility seems to make sense only when we find ourselves soundly defeated. Then, we can at least claim that we have learned the important virtue of humility, which is sorely lacking in others. Such self-consolation gives us the needed reprieve, until we are ready to get back on our feet to fight yet another battle.
However commonsensical and appealing, the above line of reasoning actually prevents us from achieving a deeper understanding of the virtue of humility. In this essay, I will attempt to clarify some of the misconceptions, present different perspectives of humility, consider its practical implications, and finally propose a positive psychology of humility.
What is then true humility? It is easy to define it by negation, as we have just done. But what are the characteristics of humility? It may be instructive to learn from different religious perspectives.
The Buddhist approach to humility has a very different starting point. It begins with the concern of how to be liberated from the sufferings of life and the vexations of the human mind. The ultimate aim is to achieve a state of enlightenment through meditation and other spiritual practices.
Humility is also the result of achieving the liberation of Nirvana. When one experiences the ultimate Emptiness and non-self (selflessness), one is free from suffering, vexations and all illusions of self-deception. This state of enlightenment is characterized by humility, compassion and wisdom.
It makes perfect sense that one can experience humility when one recognizes selfish ambitions as illusions, and concentrates on cultivating the mind to achieve Nirvana. Through such spiritual exercises, one is removed from selfish desires and the attractions of the world.
Although from different perspectives, all three religions emphasize humility as a cardinal virtue, essential for the attainment of other virtues and blessings. In this sense, humility is the alpha and omega of all virtues.
In the area of management and leadership, humility also plays an important role. Collins (2001) recently reported the results of a five-year study of companies that made the leap from being good and competent to greatness. Among other things, great companies are able to demonstrate sustained outstanding performance for 15 years.
1. Be PunctualBeing punctual for an appointment is one important way to be a nicer person. It demonstrates to the other person that you have respect for his or her time. It shows that you have discipline, are responsible, trustworthy, and that you keep your word. Nobody likes to be kept waiting by a tardy person and, therefore, we should not do it to others. We all experience occasional unexpected emergencies from time to time which we cannot avoid and, in such cases, we should notify the other person as soon as possible, apologize for not being punctual, and do everything possible to prevent a future recurrence. But it is important to remember that getting stuck in rush-hour traffic, over-sleeping because your alarm clock did not go off, misplacing your car keys, or forgetting to feed your dog are all frivolous excuses that only demonstrate a lack of discipline on your part and a lack of respect for the other person. 2ff7e9595c
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