Book 4 / Chapter 3
Paragraph 7 - Pride and Its Extremes
Explanation - Part By Part
"Such, then, is the proud man; the man who falls short of him is unduly humble, and the man who goes beyond him is vain."
Here, Aristotle is explaining the spectrum of attitudes surrounding pride. On one end of the spectrum, there’s the proud man, who represents the balanced ideal: someone who understands and claims the honor they genuinely deserve. However, if someone falls short of this ideal, they become unduly humble—a person who undervalues themselves and does not claim the recognition or honors they truly merit. On the other end, if someone goes beyond this ideal, they become vain—seeking respect and honor they don’t actually deserve, overestimating their worth. So, the proud man is the midpoint, striking that perfect balance between too little and too much self-regard.
"Now even these are not thought to be bad (for they are not malicious), but only mistaken. For the unduly humble man, being worthy of good things, robs himself of what he deserves, and to have something bad about him from the fact that he does not think himself worthy of good things, and seems also not to know himself; else he would have desired the things he was worthy of, since these were good."
Aristotle here explains that while both excessive humility (undue humility) and vanity are not inherently harmful or evil—they don't arise from malice—they are still flawed ways of being.
For the overly humble person, the problem lies in undervaluing themselves. Even if they are genuinely deserving of good things or honors, they deny themselves these rewards by failing to recognize their own worth. This self-perception isn’t just mistaken; it also reveals a lack of self-awareness. If they truly understood their value, Aristotle argues, they would naturally desire and pursue the good things they deserve, since such things are inherently positive. By not doing so, they essentially shortchange themselves, depriving themselves of what would actually enrich their lives and reflect their true merit.
In short, undue humility leads to self-neglect and a failure to embrace one’s potential or rightful accomplishments, simply because of a distorted sense of one’s worth. It is a mistake born of an incomplete understanding of oneself.
"Yet such people are not thought to be fools, but rather unduly retiring. Such a reputation, however, seems actually to make them worse; for each class of people aims at what corresponds to its worth, and these people stand back even from noble actions and undertakings, deeming themselves unworthy, and from external goods no less."
Aristotle is discussing the mindset of people who are "unduly humble" or excessively modest, to the point where they fail to recognize their own worth. These individuals are not seen as unintelligent or foolish, but rather as overly cautious or hesitant ("unduly retiring"). However, this extreme modesty can negatively impact them because people naturally strive for achievements and recognition that match their abilities and worth. If someone consistently feels unworthy—even when they are capable or deserving—they end up holding themselves back. This can prevent them from pursuing noble or virtuous actions, taking on important responsibilities, or even claiming external rewards or opportunities that they deserve. Essentially, their self-doubt keeps them from fulfilling their potential.
"Vain people, on the other hand, are fools and ignorant of themselves, and that manifestly; for, not being worthy of them, they attempt honourable undertakings, and then are found out; and tetadorn themselves with clothing and outward show and such things, and wish their strokes of good fortune to be made public, and speak about them as if they would be honoured for them."
Aristotle is explaining here that vain people tend to overestimate their own worth or abilities, which stems from a lack of self-awareness. They dive into big, "honorable" ventures they're not qualified for, and this usually exposes their inadequacies. Their vanity doesn't stop there—they rely heavily on external appearances, like flashy clothing or ostentatious displays, to create a false impression of importance or success. Furthermore, they make a point of talking about any good luck or fortunate events in their lives, hoping these will earn them praise or recognition, even though these things might not be truly deserving of honor. Essentially, vain people are focused on show and surface, not substance, and they misunderstand what genuinely earns respect or admiration.
"But undue humility is more opposed to pride than vanity is; for it is both commoner and worse."
Aristotle is making a distinction here between two character flaws: undue humility (thinking less of yourself than you deserve) and vanity (thinking more of yourself than you deserve). He argues that undue humility is actually more opposed to the virtue of pride (the proper sense of self-worth) than vanity is. Why? Because undue humility is both more widespread and more damaging. It reflects a lack of understanding of one’s true worth, which can lead to missed opportunities and an unwillingness to pursue noble actions or claim rightful recognition. Conversely, vanity, while still a flaw, doesn't stray as far from pride because it at least reflects a desire for recognition, even if it’s misplaced or exaggerated.
"Pride, then, is concerned with honour on the grand scale, as has been said."
In this part, Aristotle concludes a discussion about pride (or "greatness of soul," sometimes translated as "magnanimity"). He emphasizes that pride is primarily tied to honor, especially on a significant or "grand" level. Essentially, he is highlighting that pride isn't about minor achievements or trivial recognition. Instead, it deals with something deeper—the respect or high regard someone commands because of their worthiness of great things, especially noble virtues and actions. Pride, when done correctly, reflects a proper understanding of one’s value and the honor one truly deserves.