I am arrogant enough to wish I were modest as he and modest enough to know that this is arrogance.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- The speaker admits that wishing to be modest is itself an act of arrogance.
- In plain terms
- Wanting to be humble can be arrogant.
- What can you take from it?
- Self-awareness of arrogance is still a form of it.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Is humility possible if you know you have it?
- How do you know if you are arrogant?
Another view
It dismisses the possibility of genuine self-improvement.
More from Joseph Heller
When one is infatuated, faults are endearing that in others would be heinous.
Permalink to quote #43 'Is he in heaven? Is he in hell?' 'There is no heaven. There is no hell.' 'There is no heaven? There is no hell?' 'That's all in your mind.'
Permalink to quote #45 God does have this self-serving habit of putting all blame for His own mistakes on other people, doesn't He? He picks someone arbitrarily, unbidden, right out …
Permalink to quote #42
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