Self-esteem
Self-respect
Arrogance,Pride and ego
5 terms which I'll tell you about how i look at them.
Self-esteem: What one thinks of himself
Self-respect:how much one credits himself
Arrogance:High self-esteem without substance
Pride: High Self-esteem with substance
Ego:the conscious mind.
Sadly, Im to accept that recently, atleast in India (as far as I know) "ego" is considered synonyms with arrogance and pride. The "higher"/"superior" one considers themselves, the more "egoistic" they are. I could put up a separate post on my study of the "ego" but nows not the time for that.I promise to bug about that a lil while later. For now, let ego be the boss.
Self-esteem I'd say is pretty closely connected to self-respect and arrogance. When one thinks highly of themselves,chances of said person crediting themselves with more than whats due to them is a possibility.This leads that mostly, when this crediting becomes in excess, you land yourself with arrogance.
Self-respect on the other hand is linked to pride and takes it basis from self-esteem. For example if a person has a healthy image of themselves, they are bound to take credit for only whats due to them i.e. they would be more willing to explore and accept their faults. This could lead to pride, if the person happens to be one of substance.
Then again, what can be termed substance? If I take the real way out-its subjective. Unfortunately thats the truth and for a change, its easy. What one thinks as substance the other may not. Iv seen people who consider what they have as substance and hence whomsoever has the same is another person of substance. Iv also seen people who consider what they dont have as substance. Yet again if I were to ignore the differences culture, society and environment bring i could take a chance and define substance to being "Something which makes the person square their shoulders while helping another person square theirs." In less fancy terms, anything which has been of help to someone else along with the person who owns such quality,virtue,object,wisdom etc
Pride, in my opinion is one of the best motivators one could have as well as the most potent destroyer. It can push you to extremes you thought impossible and yet shy you away from the most beckoning experiences.
Having said all that, here is the second question I pose for which I hope I get an answer- when some concept such as the difference in the 5 terms is highly subjective, how does one assume the right to judge/label another with any of the terms? Ironically arrogance and ego seem to be popularly used in a degrading/negative manner?
