Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Answer this for me

"Pride does not wish to owe and vanity does not wish to pay"

Le Rochefoucauld


What does this mean to you guys?. Thank you

Percy

5 comments:

Nicotine Milk said...

If you're prideful, you feel you don't want to be shamed into needing anyone's help. If you're vain, you feel too self important to help anyone else.

Baba yaga, baba yaga, baba yaga,
Cracker Jack

Bashir Wardini said...

brother, have you heard the new DOOM yet?

BillyJ said...

I'll take it 1 half at a time

"Pride does not wish to owe"

Pride to me is the representation of one's will. Someone who is very proud wishes to accomplish their goals and dreams by themselves; they feel this is the most rewarding manner to fulfill their objectives. This makes me think of how we say "some people are too proud to ask for help". Proud people do not ask or want help; by accepting assistance from another they feel that they are obligated to return the favor to the person or people who helped them.
And "Pride does not wish to owe"


"Vanity does not wish to pay"

Vanity to me represents lost respect, the vain person's lost respect for where they came from, and the respect the vain person loses from those who came up with. Essentially my argument about vanity is the opposite of my argument about pride. Vanity overtakes a person's sense of upbringing and their personal beliefs. The proud person does not want help, but the vain person does not want to give the respect due to those who have helped them. I do not believe someone can be born into vanity (although rich white folks certainly seem like they raise their children to be as vain as themselves). Those who suffer from vanity do not acknowledge times in their life prior to their vanity, thusly not acknowledging the people who were their and helped them build their foundation as a person.
Vanity does not like to acknowledge that they have been helped, or the fact that they are not self-made.

"Vanity does not wish to pay"

To wrap it all up:
Pride does not wish to owe, therefore proud people do not accept or ask for assistance so they will not feel that they owe anyone anything.
Vanity does not wish to pay, therefore vain people do not acknowledge or pay respect to the assistance they have received because they feel it will lessen their status by not fully attributing their success to themselves.


Percy, what does the quote mean to you?

Cameron

Distrakt said...

Life has no design and suffering’s always part of it until the end, which might be invited. Being the original man is real.

Percy Carey said...

Cam,

I agree with what you said. I think both are selfish attitudes to have (to a degree). You all get an A+ for your answers.


Percy