On meekness and other virtues
By Farah G. Decano
“I like Manny Pacquiao to be president.”
“Why?” I asked.
“Because he is humble. He talks about his compassion for the poor and intention to
deliver them from poverty with such sincerity.”
“How did you determine his sincerity?” I became more curious.
“He speaks with such meekness.”
It was a very short conversation with a thirty something professional. In order to support his choice for president, he mouthed three virtues: humility, sincerity and meekness. I wish to evaluate what he just said. It appeared that he justified the presence of one good quality with the existence of another. I cannot blame him. The presence of one virtue can spur the growth of another.
It is best to revisit what these traits are so we may properly use them as standard characteristics we wish to see from candidates.
Sincerity is not merely the congruence of our thoughts, desires and actions. It requires consistency of this harmony of our external deeds and internal processes over time. If we liken a candidate to a suitor, the latter who exhibits conflict in his/her words and actions should be discarded pronto. The person lacks sincerity. Worse, he lacks integrity.
Humility is not meekness. While the latter may seem to refer to the external behavior in dealing with another, humility may signify something more internal.
“Meek as a lamb.” How many times have we encountered this phrase? Because of their fleece, lambs are fluffy creatures that rarely hurt other animals they run into or move against. They are often calm when taken to the slaughterhouse. Hence, whenever we say people are meek, we talk about their impact on others. They are gentle with their ways and they exude a soothing and comforting aura.
It is sad that meekness is often seen as weakness. It may actually be the opposite. Being meek may actually be a display of self-empowerment. It could be about taking control of ourselves despite adversity. According to Donald de Marco, a self-proclaimed philosopher of culture, meekness is about keeping our grip and not be possessed by adversity itself. It is resistance against pressures of our environment that coaxes us to be inhuman towards others. It is overcoming anger. Meekness enables us to do good in response to evil.
I observe that there is a lack of appreciation for meekness nowadays. There is a tendency to be enamored by candidates who curse, “putang-ina,” and brand themselves as “nagpapakatotoo.” We see a lot of netizens arguing with each other and calling each other what probably describe themselves best – “walang modo.” Meekness, according to de Marco, is taking the higher path than the road of rage.
How does humility differ from meekness? If meekness refers to self-control in our external behavior, humility refers to our ability to acknowledge the truth about ourselves. It is admitting to our capabilities and limitations. It is also self-restraint in overcalculating or underestimating our worth, and overcoming pride that prevents us from asking for assistance. Humility is also resistance against feelings that bloat our self-importance and blur our vision of our external and internal reality. When a candidate says she/he can take on the complex duties of the presidency because she/he is sincere is missing the point. Sincerity is not enough. She/He must acknowledge to himself when his capabilities are not adequate to match the arduous tasks of a chief executive.
That Manny Pacquiao is meek is not questionable. He has exhibited his calm demeanor even during his early days as a boxer. That Manny Pacquiao is sincere in his compassion for the poor is believable, too. He had housing projects for the poor before entering politics. However, is Manny Pacquiao humble?
With his numerous absences in the Senate and in the House of Representative and with a battery of “whisperers” during interpellations in legislative sessions, Manny Pacquiao is indeed a world class champion. A world class champion boxer.
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