Humbleness

[Mr Rayon]

Is it truly beneficial for society to have humble citizens?

 

What are the negative effects of the humble way of thinking on people and society?

 

Do you want to be infinitely humble?

 

Would society improve for the better if people became more humble?

 

How would this mindset affect scientific progress?

[CharonY]

How would this mindset affect scientific progress?

 

Regarding science, as a scholar I cannot feel anything but being humbled by the realization of how little we really know about nature. And being humble and having a sense of humility is an excellent mindset to start learning. If you start off with the attitude that you know everything, you are likely to learn nothing.

Edited April 18, 2012 by CharonY

[imatfaal]

Humility is a very difficult question - to be humble is normally thought of as a good thing, to be humbled is pretty universally thought of as bad. Self-denial and abnegation were heavily bound into Christian thought for many years and are often seen as a good - in moderation I am sure I agree, but it is all to easy to go a little too far and get into areas of lack of self that are dangerous

[Joatmon]

[CaptainPanic]

Regarding science, as a scholar I cannot feel anything but being humbled by the realization of how little we really know about nature. And being humble and having a sense of humility is an excellent mindset to start learning. If you start off with the attitude that you know everything, you are likely to learn nothing.

I'm humbled by the realization of how little we know.

But I feel superior because I know so much more than many people in the present and in the past.

 

I'm humbled by the realization of how tiny I am in comparison to the vast universe.

But I feel enormous when I realize just how many cells make up my body, and that each individual cell contains heaps and heaps of molecules, all interacting.

 

A scientist must be humble to have the right mindset to learn.

But an engineer cannot stop to ponder how little we know, because with such an attitude nothing ever gets built.

 

My opinion: You should match your attitude with the task at hand, and the environment around you. And that changes all the time... so you must change your attitude as well.

[synthetic]

^excellent advice.