PRIDE vs ARROGANCE

(Experiment with holistic philosophizing).

“I’m proud of myself!” On the one hand, it’s certainly something worth striving for. On the other hand…? Is there another level of self-confidence? And where does that differ from arrogance? Not everyone was taught healthy self-esteem and the tools to build it in childhood. On the other hand, some people were raised with arrogance through overestimation. Sometimes, such character traits are innate.

How can we distinguish between the two?

(How) can we recognize these traits within ourselves, cultivate them, or change them?

The powerful statement “I am proud of myself!” – can it also turn negative, i.e., lead to arrogance?

(Why) is it worthwhile to develop the (justified) feeling “I am proud of myself!”?

“Pride as Joy”
Spinoza defines pride (or “self-satisfaction”) as:

“A joy that arises from a person considering themselves and their effectiveness.”

It’s not an shallow feeling, but rather it’s nourished by seeing how I’ve freed myself from… (self-healing) or achieved/created/made something! That’s my “effectiveness.” JOY instead of arrogance: this pride warms me from within, doesn’t make me “higher than everyone else,” but makes me stronger within myself. When I’m feeling down, I can remember this, I can rejoice in what I’ve already accomplished. And thus nourish myself.

Today was a premier of my café philo online in the mode that I myself created‼️🤩This time including the media of drawing (on the given topic). We showed our drawings to each other first without giving our wording. The viewer shared her associations first, then the author of a drawing shared his own words. Already in the process the philosophical thinking started, we tried to note/to remember our ideas; went to the seocnd drawing, did the same and then let ourself^ves philosophize. SO the philosophical process has (mainly) started with drawing and not with verbal and/or rational thinking. This way I intended to include all instances of a humans being besides the mind/thinking. Other modes are planned, like a performative one. There the body will take over first.

↑ PRIDE (“I am proud of myself”): the intuitive without (much) rational premediation drawing and short and subsequent short mental/verbal associations. Which reads: “But what will be after?.. A STABLE foundation is needed❗️ Although, perhaps, such training again and again IS CAPABLE of creating such a stable, concrete, indestructible foundation.?.” (By “training” I mean being aware of your achievements and repeating to yourself, “I’m proud of myself (or “you” talking to yourself)!”)

↑ ARROGANCE The words following drawing that came to my mind: “Hieronymus Bosch. It turned out interesting and beautiful. But is this real?! This is after all my moral view, my attitude. And in life, these people more often than not remain convinced of their arrogance and are even happy until the end of their lives.”