Egotism

Charles Peguy once wrote, "one may discern, if he has the courage to see what he sees - which is the higher courage - a prodigious egotism." This egotism seems to be a dominant part of the makeup of modernity. Richard Weaver in his book, Ideas Have Consequences, wrote, "this egotism, which is another form of fragmentation, is a consequence of that fatal decision to make a separate self the measure of value." And, that is where we find ourselves today - self is the measure of all value.

Today, it is the individual who thinks of his or her rights before any other rights. It is these rights that justify things we could not possibly justify outside of self. When self is the measure, the world is a fragmented place. The whole picture can not be viewed, only parts are able to be seen, and they are seen only through the lens of selfishness.

It is the irony of it all that paints the best picture for us through the words of Weaver, "...under the conditions of modern freedom the individual thinks only of his rights, he does not refer his actions to the external frame of obligation." There is only one obligation to self, and that is self. A focus only on self is a natural withdrawal from the macro-community to the micro - community which is so much easier because there is only one to please.

Plato said this regarding self:

"the excessive love of self is in reality the source to each of all offenses; for the lover is blinded about the beloved, so that he judges wrongly of the just, the good and the honorable, and thinks that he ought to always prefer his own interests to the truth."

The results of egotism are many, but one of the most glaring is the removal of oneself from the fabric of society. When one effectively does this one still flows through the social channels, but those social channels are merely channels of movement towards more of one's own ways and purposes. Relationships with those different become dry and brittle and are built on one's own way and not the Biblical mandate of God's way.

Weaver writes, "it is the simple nature of egotism to view things our of proportion, the "I" becoming dominant and the entire world suffering a distortion. Once more we are face to face with the fact of alienation from reality." As we look at our world, we see evidence of this everywhere. When we rationalize the current world through this idea of egotism it almost makes sense. Man has forgotten who he is. He is not perfect but flawed; he is not the high but low. He is not creator but created.

What is our answer? Our answer is Truth, which opens its own can of worms. Many will debate versions of truth, but they will do it through their own egotism. If you examine these various versions of truth you will find the ego present, and you will find the particular version of truth built in a way to feed that individual ego... that self. Truth is not selfish; it is selfless. Truth is found in the one who claimed to be truth... Jesus Christ. Read the gospel of John and release the chains of egotism! Blessings!