Who Wants A Slice of Humble Pie?

A famous quote of Socrates: “The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing”. Many of the advancements we have made in science and technology over the past few hundred years have created a monster of the collective character. If we truly were the masters of the modern age, how is it that we haven’t quite been able to figure out how to move that advancement forward in a way that is complimentary to, and supportive of nature? Now wouldn’t that be masterful!

Often our advancements are in stark conflict with the natural flow and the balance of nature itself. How is that sustainable and how is that advanced? Pharmaceuticals that toxify the natural environment of our bodies, byproducts of “modern” manufacturing polluting our soil and water, corporate “progress” exploiting the people, technology serving to create addictive dependency and disconnect us from authentic connection and compromising our mental and emotional health. All this in the name of progress? How can we justify calling this progress? However, we see all of this “progress” happening all around us in the name of progress.

I believe this is happening largely in part due to a collective lack of humility in the values, personality and character traits of modern society. Despite our apparent “advancement’, much of our behavior and perspective is in stark contrast to some of the age old, well respected values that served to allow us to reach the place we are today collectively. A trait such as humility, once seen as the foundation of all virtues, from the Age of Enlightenment and in Doaist and Vedic teachings for example, is now often considered useless, ineffective and weak. Entitlement, self-centeredness, mis-use of power, competition and intolerance often take precedence over humility. Why is this?

Perhaps because there is an inherent loss of understanding among the majority collective of humanity of our true nature. Our true nature is within and at one with nature, not superior to it and certainly not in command of it. A lack of humility CAUSES US TO SEVERELY MIS-CREATE in this world. Whether it be mis-creating on the smaller level of interpersonal connection, thinking and behaving in a way toward others as less than, insignificant, or unworthy of our presence and respect. Or, on the larger collective level thinking and behaving in a way that insults and compromises the dignity and balance of nature and all of its members. To behave in this way is barbaric and lacks advancement, yet we hold the most successful figures of this process of mis-creating in such high regard as agents of advancement, change and progress.

An adage that has turned somewhat cliche’ and as a result, lost some of its impact, is the saying: “If you truly want to change the world, change yourself.” This is a true instruction on reclaiming one’s humility. Opening one’s self up to consider, if you are unhappy with what you are seeing playing out in your life, personally and collectively, consider how much of what is happening is a contribution, byproduct, or mirror reflection of one’s own ignorance which elicits mis-creation. As opposed to pointing fingers and cutting corners that excludes and compromises nature, where are we cutting off intimacy and connection with nature within ourselves.

A reclamation and mindful observance of humility enables us to adopt new ways of thinking and behaving that serve to include the consideration of nature and all other things inherent to existence. It cultivates contentment and a feeling of being part of something larger in life. It cultivates a possibility of evolving to higher personal and collective consciousness and likely transcend what we even imagined possible in scientific and technological advancement to truly cultivate a better today and a more hopeful tomorrow.