Are We Lacking in Humility?

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Maruf Hassan
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Joined: Sat Feb 11, 2023 10:38 am

Are We Lacking in Humility?

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Can showing humility in public make it possible to soften unpopular measures, such as the pension file for Emmanuel Macron ? Or to make themselves more likeable, as Elisabeth Borne seemed to hope ? The term humility is regularly used by politicians, whatever the context (remember Joe Biden 's speech after his electoral victory…) But beyond its public manifestation – potentially strategic or even insincere – what do we know about the role of humility in social life? To be humble is to perceive oneself with accuracy Humility is an ability to accurately self-assess, without distortion, to get down to ground level one might say, as its Latin etymology recalls (the word humilitas is derived from humus , earth ) . It's a challenge, because one of the most shared human biases is probably this unfortunate tendency to believe oneself above average in general, and to others in particular. For example, ask collaborators or couples to list the tasks they carry out for the collective, then to estimate the percentage of work that they think they will do personally. The sum almost always exceeds 100% , because everyone feels that they are carrying out a disproportionate share of the tasks. Let's say you're asked if you think you're a little more humble than the average person your age and sex. Like most people, you will probably answer yes! An important aspect of humility lies in the ability to maintain one's ego in its proper place and to direct one's attention towards others, who are also deemed worthy of interest. This attitude of decentration is judicious in the relational sphere, but also in other domains, such as that of ideas, culture or science .

Is humility attractive? In human relations, humility is popular. Surveys indicate that it is valued more in a partner than many other qualities or aspects of personality such as sensitivity, friendliness, intellectual openness or conscientiousness, whether one is considering short-term or long-term relationships. Thus, a speed dating study showed that a partner who communicates information revealing that he is humble arouses trust: we will thus give him his telephone number more willingly! This confidence is not unfounded, since humble people are generally less dishonest in romantic relationships, as demonstrated by a large study conducted in Germany among 5,700 people. The analysis of the dynamics of couples confirms that one is more satisfied and committed if one has a partner steeped in humility, and also that one forgives them more easily for their shortcomings. Humility also phone number list eases the tension in complicated exchanges. In a laboratory study where we examined couples invited to discuss a conflicting subject, it appeared that in people with a humble profile (this tendency having been measured by a preliminary questionnaire), the blood pressure – which usually climbs in this type of situation – remained at a more comfortable level than in others. When a couple is about to have a child, humility is associated with less prenatal stress for parents, and its effects last even after birth .

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What behaviors are linked to humility? Being humble promotes less hostile social relationships. These results are not surprising in view of numerous studies showing that narcissism is a powerful predictor of coercive and sometimes violent behavior. The follow-up of a cohort of 1,200 children, for example, indicated that those with a low level of humility were more likely to commit aggression one year after the start of the study. What makes humble people quite endearing is also that they are more altruistic , but also more willing to accept help from others. They also pay more attention to opinions and worldviews that don't align with their own. [ Nearly 80,000 readers trust The Conversation newsletter to better understand the world's major issues . Subscribe today ] Other studies complete the picture. At work, humble people are less likely to instrumentalize their employees, and employees who have a humble leader not only develop a greater sense of personal power , but also produce a greater number of innovative ideas . However, a leader's humility sometimes has its limits. When it is extreme, it can result in a feeling of incompetence. In addition, beware of feigned humility, it could be perceived as insincere or worse: manipulative. This is probably one of the most obvious risks to which public figures expose themselves when they speak of humility: this virtue risks vanishing as soon as it is displayed.
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