“Modesty has moved from the organ of ambition. Modesty has settled upon the organ of conviction where it was never meant to be. A man was meant to be doubtful about himself, but undoubting about the truth: this has been exactly reversed. Nowadays the part of a man that a man does assert is exactly the part he ought not to assert — himself. The part he doubts is exactly the part he ought not to doubt — the Divine Reason…
“The old humility was a spur that prevented a man from stopping: not a nail in his boot that prevented him from going on. For the old humility made a man doubtful about his efforts, which might make him work harder. But the new humility makes a man doubtful about his aims, which will make him stop working altogether.”
― G.K. Chesterton, Orthodoxy
The word humility now refers to a social expectation, not to personal standard. And so it seems to be with most traditional virtues nowadays; they have become hollow Godless displays.
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He had so much perception – about everything.
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Wise words.
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Oh my, GKC certainly caught the essence of that. I’m stopped in my tracks. So glad you shared those words with us today. Wishing you a beautiful week ahead, Gretchen. Brenda xo
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This is an insightful quote. So true.
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Have you ever thought of becoming a modest fashion designer?
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No. Have you?
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Sort of. I’d like to make more modest, comfortable alternatives to, say, skinny jeans, that people will like just as much as actual skinny jeans.
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Women’s fashion needs improvement. I am tired of women coming to work in tights without skirts.
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You mean leggings?
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