During a pandemic, suppose someone has succeeded in avoiding infection by adopting preventive measures such as vaccination. Suppose further that they become proud and deliberately parade their good health especially among those who are sick. Their condescending attitude may annoy others so much that those people may intentionally refuse to take similar preventive measures. Thus, they end up doing a disservice to those whom they could and should have helped. Worse still, suppose while flaunting their good health among those who are sick, they expose themselves to the infection — they will end up with the same malaise that they were proud of being free from.
A similar dynamic applies to those who act holier-than-thou and look down upon those who don’t adhere to behavioral standards that they consider sacrosanct. Thus, when people act holier-than-thou, they distort the purpose of their interactions with others — instead of focusing on compassion and service, they obsess over competition and superiority. Their condescending attitude frequently alienates others, including especially the very people whom they are meant to benefit.
Moreover, by their self-congratulatory attitude, they can harm even themselves. How? By allowing pride to sneak into their consciousness — or sometimes, by even unwittingly inviting pride to sweep all over their consciousness. When they repeatedly pat themselves on their back for being so much better than others, their pride cuts their access to the mercy of Krishna, which is what primarily holds them up in their moral purity. Bereft of his mercy, they succumb to falls whenever their dormant impurities get triggered. They may end up falling to such an extent that their behavior may become worse than that of the people they earlier scorned.
Better to be humble and respectful than to be proud and regretful. Pertinently, the Bhagavad-gita (13.08) declares humility to be the first characteristic of wisdom.
One-sentence summary:
If we act holier-than-thou, we will end up holier than no one.
Think it over:
- How can acting holier-than-thou harm others?
- How can acting holier-than-thou harm ourselves?
- Are there any areas where you act holier-than-thou? How can you replace that with humility?
***
13.08: Humility; pridelessness; nonviolence; tolerance; simplicity; approaching a bona fide spiritual master; cleanliness; steadiness; self-control; … [ – all these I declare to be knowledge]
To know more about this verse, please click on the image
Brilliantly written and so true!
Thanks, happy to be of service.