When you're telling someone to be humble, what you're really doing is saying "You're not important, and I want you to know that."
That's not what the definition says. By saying you should be more humble, I'm not telling you you're not important. I'm saying you may be important, but flaunting that importance is in bad taste.
That's why it says showing a modest estimate of one's importance as one of the definitions.
Why is it acting all important for no reason bad? Because if there is no reason for you to pull the "I'm more important than you" card (such as having to make a decision), the impression is you're only doing it to humiliate others.
To go further with this - perceiving this to be in bad taste is social and culturally relative. Is it beneficial to have that? Among Australian entrepreneurs, tall poppy syndrome (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tall_poppy_syndrome - apologies for bringing yet another phenom into this) is a real and oft talked about stigma.
Surely we are better off accepting that resentment at the achievements of others is the problem of those resenting? I'd love to have arguments either way on this.
Surely we are better off accepting that resentment at the achievements of others is the problem of those resenting? I'd love to have arguments either way on this.
Peoples estimates of each others ability/importance will not always be in sync. Humbleness prevents or delays conflict when both sides think they are the more important one.
Surely we are better off accepting that resentment at the achievements of others is the problem of those resenting?
Given that people resent you for your achievements, aren't you personally better off being humble (thus decreasing their resentment)? Saying or thinking it's just their problem will not help you, since they will still resent you and presumably act against you.
That's not what the definition says. By saying you should be more humble, I'm not telling you you're not important. I'm saying you may be important, but flaunting that importance is in bad taste.
That's why it says showing a modest estimate of one's importance as one of the definitions.
Why is it acting all important for no reason bad? Because if there is no reason for you to pull the "I'm more important than you" card (such as having to make a decision), the impression is you're only doing it to humiliate others.