I agree with what C.S. Lewis says about pride - it's at the core of much of what brings us down - and makes us, at times, unbearable to others.
Arrogance says that, "I'm above the law - or above the rules. I know they are there for a reason, and I agree that people shouldn't do those things...but I can do them because I've got them under control. I can take care of the situation and not cause any harm."
I came face to face with that arrogance (that I often live out myself) in the last couple of days and it just leaves a bad taste in your mouth.
I remember laughing at a friend of mine in High School because he took a few moral stands against stupid things...and I really didn't understand why. It was my immaturity. That's the problem with wisdom, you can't argue it and win. People will keep coming at you with, "yeah, but..." and you can have that argument forever. It's just something they have to learn. I slowly learned what my friend had been sticking up for in High School.
It must have been hard for him to not be able to explain it to me because I just wasn't there yet.
Back to pride, or arrogance. Arrogance will make some people follow you because they believe you know something that they don't. They believe you're "freed up" and not a stiff lipped grandmother shaking her fist at everything...because you defy the rules. I get the appeal...you really can do whatever you want and just say that you're not legalistic or bound by "societies rules".
It's appealing - and often wrong. And it's disappointing to see in others.
That's my favorite chapter in "Mere Christianity". It's also the most painful to read.
ReplyDeleteWhere were you the last couple of days?
ReplyDeleteI apologize for my role in the arrogance you saw Sean. I have quite a bit left to learn in my young age.
ReplyDeleteI started to read that chapter, then realized it didn't apply to me.
ReplyDeleteBragg,
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen you in 7 years. You never call, you never write, you never send me flowers anymore...
sigh
JUST reading about pride last night. there is no honest person who that issue does not hit right at their core. myself included. good word murph!
ReplyDeleteThanks for responding to Bragg and not me. :(
ReplyDeleteThe older you get, the less you're sure of. You have experience on your side. Experience will often show you that you don't know nearly as much as you used to think you did (ah, the arrogance of youth).
ReplyDeleteI'm pushing 40 and I have more questions than I've ever had. I was very sure of so many things 20 years ago. Opening my mind and my heart led me to meet so many different kinds of people. I used to think we are all similar but it's not true. People diverge so much in their upbringing, genetic makeup, circumstances, environment and their own internal dialogue that I found the yardstick that I measure people by is useless. I used to try to understand the world by categorizing people. It made the world easier to understand. But I found that people aren't categories and I often have no idea what people are going to do or why they do it. I've just had to accept that. The world is less predictable but a lot more interesting.
uhhhhhhh..... ashton GOT demi.
ReplyDeletethose results don't lie, friend. young arrogance pays.