Tuesday, July 17, 2012

HUBRIS - For all those who are sure they are right.

In its modern use, hubris denotes overconfident pride and arrogance; it is often associated with a lack of humility, though not always with the lack of knowledge. An accusation of hubris often implies that suffering or punishment will follow, similar to the occasional pairing of hubris and nemesis in Greek society. The proverb "pride goes before a fall" (from the biblical Book of Proverbs, 16:18) is thought to summate the modern use of hubris. 


There is a tribe in Papua New Guinea that knows how to deal with this problem.  If a hunter in the tribe becomes so impressed with his own hunting skills that he thinks the whole tribe should hunt like he hunts they kill him, eat his flesh, and make drums from his skin so they can play the drums and drive out  the evil spirits that are tormenting the tribe.

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