On Arrogance

[JustARandomPanda]

Sigh....

 

I do not understand why so many people feel the need to disparage other people who are trying to learn and/or teach about new philosophies, religions, scientific thoughts, discoveries, experiments, etc. Why is it that this seems to be an almost universal habit of humans? Where does this drive to sneer at anyone who doesn't agree with your study and conclusions or searches come from? I see it occasionally even in authors from religions and traditions that would seem to espouse the goal of open-mindedness about other views.

 

I can believe that what I've studied is better than what I'm hearing or reading from another. Discernment and a willingness to ask questions and engage in discussion and debate which challenges another viewpoint is a perfectly valid thing to do when one is trying to learn. But I don't take the view that anyone who believes what I've learned or am learning who disagrees with me is somehow a simple-minded fool or sheep. And yet it seems even people who are striving for enlightenment or claim to either being close to attaining it or have attained often slip into this disparagment mode. I find it illogical. Forget about enlightened awareness or higher states of awareness leading to that conclusion (if it supposedly does). I came to that conclusion on plain logic alone.

 

The only way I could take such a position logically is that I would have to be in a position of superior knowledge to every other scholar or enlightened person (or insert whatever other great accomplishment anyone has made). It wouldn't have to be a position of Absolute Omniscient Knowledge either. It'd just merely need to be sufficiently superior in knowledge and awareness to anything anyone else who's ever been born and experienced.

 

It just strikes me as arrogant. I thought of all things the Tao would not lead one to that - Arrogance - subtle or not - that one's way is the best way or right way or what hands down seems to be the most popular - the most Historically Pure and Authentic Way. And yet I've seen even here on a few occasions people making disparaging remarks about others and especially of their students or followers. Although having posted this I assure everyone it was NOT any TaoBums posts lately that made me think of this topic tonight.

 

I've just been reading reviews on other sites for assorted Taoist and Buddhist books and am struck by A) the level of scholarship-level intelligence of some of the replies coupled with B ) the nearly inevitable disparaging, sneering remark of how anyone could buy into what this or that author was saying and it could only mean the person reading and/or willing to believe the author was a mindless, Wanna-Be-Taoist and/or Wanna-Be Buddhist Lame-Brained Sheep.

 

Apologies for my late-night rant.

[seadog]

I liked your rant,the questions you have raised are valid and worth investigating.The only thing I would add is

Why do you let others behaviour bother you?

[Martial Development]

[bailey]

SereneBlue - well put. There does need to be a sense of superiority, with or without arrogance (and generally with), to be able to sell the method to others: whether for $$$ gain - or to reinforce their own sense of spiritual-materialism. I agree with seadog though; no need to let what others do crank you up.. but yes it can be hard to watch when we see someone new who is genuinely searching being unnecessarily taken for a ride.

 

Martial Development - gotta love the The Cucumber Sage!! Thanks for that slice of it. It should be mandatory reading for everyone interested in tao. IMO.

[mjjbecker]

..

Edited July 6, 2009 by mjjbecker

[Mal]

We dislike in others what we dislike in ourselves.

 

And my preferred way of

"it's all good, why can we get along, every path is valid"

is also another type of ego trip variation along the lines of

"my way is the best and everything else is just a shallow, deluded, imitation.... Fools!"

 

Good thread

[林愛偉]

SereneBlue - well put. There does need to be a sense of superiority, with or without arrogance (and generally with), to be able to sell the method to others: whether for $$$ gain - or to reinforce their own sense of spiritual-materialism. I agree with seadog though; no need to let what others do crank you up.. but yes it can be hard to watch when we see someone new who is genuinely searching being unnecessarily taken for a ride.

 

Martial Development - gotta love the The Cucumber Sage!! Thanks for that slice of it. It should be mandatory reading for everyone interested in tao. IMO.

 

 

Cucumber sage..hahaha great story!

[awake]

Ignorant, arrogant, egotistical, and self-richest people I find the hardest to accept, but that is what you must do.

 

They will learn by your actions, not by your words, which feed them, as they, have you not accepted, try and change them, but your personal acceptance is enough, as it shoos them from your life (they cannot handle it) or transforms them (they see the error of their ways).

 

Thanks.

[contrivedname!]

Ignorant, arrogant, egotistical, and self-richest people I find the hardest to accept, but that is what you must do.

 

They will learn by your actions, not by your words, which feed them, as they, have you not accepted, try and change them, but your personal acceptance is enough, as it shoos them from your life (they cannot handle it) or transforms them (they see the error of their ways).

 

Thanks.

 

and i would posit that the wisest individual could still have a lot to learn form the most Ignorant, arrogant, egotistical, and self-richest person around. may be like a reminder why they dont act that way and perhaps a preception into the times they themselves slip up and do/have.