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March 15th, 2015 | #1 |
Eternal Glory
Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 1,670
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how does one overcome vanity
I am trying to overcome my worst character trait, vanity, trying to be more humble and not crave praise, to do things more selflessly instead of wanting praise and recognition. If somebody without vanity can advise, or somebody who has gone through a change from vanity to humility, I would appreciate. I also invite others to work at ridding themselves of their own character flaws.
When I try to look up advice about this issue I mostly find Catholic material, and it is pretty disheartening because it says that trying not to be vain is vain lol. And tell me the only way to overcome such a fault is through prayer and confession. But I am not Christian.
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Make your short life immortal. Last edited by Breanna; March 15th, 2015 at 10:31 PM. |
March 15th, 2015 | #2 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Missouri, USSA
Posts: 922
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Is it a fault to hold a high opinion of oneself, it it's accurate and true? It is not. But it is if it's false.
Craving praise is usually a sign of insecurity, of having a low--not a high--opinion of oneself. (As are false boasts, and excessive worrying about one's 'virtues,' and unnecessary cruelty, and a whole lot of other unpleasant character flaws.) "In brief, she assumed that I, being a man, was vain to the point of imbecility--and this assumption was correct, as it always is." --HLM
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Produce good men -- the rest follows. --William G. Simpson The Morality of Survival |
March 15th, 2015 | #3 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 3,110
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You're in a routine where you're more than capable of doing what you have to do.
My suggestion is to apply yourself to a task which you are not currently capable of, but can become so with hard work and a lot of failure. That will take your arrogance down a few notches, and (with hard work) will also teach you some valuable new skills. Trust me - I have been 'guilty' of arrogance and vanity in the past, and occasionally still am. This is a good, and productive, way to temper some of that stuff. Alternatively, if you're vain about your looks ... well, straight razors are pretty cheap. Apply the razor to the problem, and hey presto, no more problem! |
March 16th, 2015 | #4 |
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Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 9,744
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I think women's need for approval is more biological than something that can be easily overcome. Most women have it, some don't. I've never heard of one changing that behavior. Maybe managed to a lesser degree by being less insecure.
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March 16th, 2015 | #5 |
Hatespeaker
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 1,281
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Meditate on people you consider superior to yourself.
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"Surely people differ in their biologically determined qualities. But discovery of a correlation between some of these qualities is of no scientific interest and of no social significance, except to racists, sexists and the like." |
March 23rd, 2015 | #6 |
Banned
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: TriState
Posts: 7,208
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problem?
Is your vanity a 'problem' for others? Might be that you need new friends, insecure/failed individuals will always find a thousand reasons to tear you down.
I assume this perceived fault doesn't rise to the level of the sociopathic (the mentally ill are seldom introspective regarding their behavior) so I would say let it go and carry on. Cheers! |
March 23rd, 2015 | #7 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 6,377
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Quote:
Vanity is the need for others to have a high opinion of you. It is a sign of insecurity and low self esteem. |
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March 23rd, 2015 | #8 | |
Banned
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: TriState
Posts: 7,208
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Thanks
Quote:
I was making light in my twisted way of the original post, did you actually take him/her seriously? Cheers! |
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March 24th, 2015 | #9 | |
Administrator
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Quote:
- focus on others or a cause, rather than yourself - focus on admiring others, finding people to look up to, rather than looking down in criticism. - learn new stuff; starting from nothing is always a little humbling |
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March 24th, 2015 | #10 | |
Moderator
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Jew S. A.
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Quote:
You will also find fascinating similarities between this book and William Pierce's The Path. http://selfdefinition.org/zen/Hubert...ealization.pdf Last edited by Jimmy Marr; March 24th, 2015 at 06:39 PM. |
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