Dear Salam (part sixteen -- the virtue of modesty)
Dear Salam,
Our recent election resulted in our Congress going from slightly more Republican to slightly more Democratic. This switch in legislative power prompts me to write a letter that arrogantly, proudly, defiantly, and unyieldingly proclaims the virtue of modesty.
For all my letters past, and all my letters future, I would ask you to mentally insert the following phrase at the front of each paragraph: I could be wrong, but I think … .
Modesty does not mean a lack of steadfastness. A modest person can be exasperatingly stubborn. But, the modest person, because he acknowledges the possibility that he might be wrong, is reluctant to press his views on to others.
Modesty does not necessarily mean non violent. While a modest person could not be quickly roused to violence, and could never be roused to offensive, aggressive, violence, a modest person could be provoked to engage in defensive violence.
Most non-Americans disagree with this statement, but most Americans are modest. Democracy breeds modesty. It takes a modest person to bow to the will of the majority when you are convinced the majority is wrong. Here in America we often have leaders that receive only 51% of the vote. We have citizens that have voted for the loser in virtually every election they ever participated in. We have policy issues that divide us deeply. I have a neighbor with whom I disagree on almost any topic you can imagine. He is a nice neighbor, appears to be a good husband and father, but frankly, I think he is dead wrong about virtually everything, and I am sure he thinks I am dead wrong about virtually everything. The one thing we share is modesty. We share the notion that we might be wrong. We share the notion that majority rule is more important than having our way.
Modesty is what prevents us from becoming angry when the majority is against us. Anger is not a helpful emotion, Salam. Almost any action done from anger is an action that is not helpful and is an action that is later usually regretted.
You folks over there appear to us to be constantly angry. You folks over there appear to us to lack modesty. You are all so certain, and angry, about everything. All this anger and certainty is not good for you Salam. It is not good for the rest of the world either.
Remember, Salam, the certain man never listens, never learns, and never grows or improves. Or at least, I think so, I could be wrong.
Love,
Clarence
Our recent election resulted in our Congress going from slightly more Republican to slightly more Democratic. This switch in legislative power prompts me to write a letter that arrogantly, proudly, defiantly, and unyieldingly proclaims the virtue of modesty.
For all my letters past, and all my letters future, I would ask you to mentally insert the following phrase at the front of each paragraph: I could be wrong, but I think … .
Modesty does not mean a lack of steadfastness. A modest person can be exasperatingly stubborn. But, the modest person, because he acknowledges the possibility that he might be wrong, is reluctant to press his views on to others.
Modesty does not necessarily mean non violent. While a modest person could not be quickly roused to violence, and could never be roused to offensive, aggressive, violence, a modest person could be provoked to engage in defensive violence.
Most non-Americans disagree with this statement, but most Americans are modest. Democracy breeds modesty. It takes a modest person to bow to the will of the majority when you are convinced the majority is wrong. Here in America we often have leaders that receive only 51% of the vote. We have citizens that have voted for the loser in virtually every election they ever participated in. We have policy issues that divide us deeply. I have a neighbor with whom I disagree on almost any topic you can imagine. He is a nice neighbor, appears to be a good husband and father, but frankly, I think he is dead wrong about virtually everything, and I am sure he thinks I am dead wrong about virtually everything. The one thing we share is modesty. We share the notion that we might be wrong. We share the notion that majority rule is more important than having our way.
Modesty is what prevents us from becoming angry when the majority is against us. Anger is not a helpful emotion, Salam. Almost any action done from anger is an action that is not helpful and is an action that is later usually regretted.
You folks over there appear to us to be constantly angry. You folks over there appear to us to lack modesty. You are all so certain, and angry, about everything. All this anger and certainty is not good for you Salam. It is not good for the rest of the world either.
Remember, Salam, the certain man never listens, never learns, and never grows or improves. Or at least, I think so, I could be wrong.
Love,
Clarence
All Related Posts (on one page) | Some Related Posts:
- Dear Salam (part nineteen - proxy wars)
- Dear Salam, (part eighteen - upping the ante)
- Dear Salam (part seventeen -- a note of praise)
- Dear Salam (part sixteen -- the virtue of modesty)
- Dear Salam (part fifteen - two tests for Islam)...
- Dear Salam (part three - my two hats)
- Dear Salam (part two - Why Iraq)
- Dear Salam (part one - greetings)