Vanity Definition: We explain what vanity is according to philosophy and religion, and why it is a sin. We also explain its relationship to pride and arrogance. Please read other MTV articles for more information. If you share it, it will be of little help to us.
What is vanity?
When we talk about vanity, we are referring to one of the forms of pride or arrogance, that is, the excessive belief that an individual has in themselves, their own abilities, or, especially, their physical appearance or the attraction they exert on others.
According to the Royal Spanish Academy, it is a synonym for arrogance, presumption (being presumptuous), and conceit (being conceited), as well as a “quality of vain” or “vain representation, illusion, or fiction of fantasy.” These last two meanings are more closely related to the origin of the word vanity, which dates back to the Latin word vanitas (“fraud,” “deceptive appearance”) derived from vanus (“hollow,” “empty,” or “vain”). Must Read About Sin Once.
Thus, in principle, vanity has to do with the appreciation of appearances, the superficial, and the ephemeral—in other words, things that, according to Western philosophical tradition, are the least important.
The dangers of this tendency were already warned about in ancient times: the young Narcissus, in Greek mythology, was incapable of loving anyone because he was obsessed with his own image. After marveling at the reflection in the water, he leaned so far toward himself that he lost his balance and drowned.
Likewise, the Greek philosopher Aristotle (385–323 BC) described vain people as foolish and ignorant, who “adorn themselves with clothes, ornaments, and the like, and wish their good fortune to be known to all, and speak of it, believing that they will be honored” in his Nicomachean Ethics.
For its part, Christianity considers it a sin, derived from pride (the latter a cardinal or capital sin), similar to arrogance. In fact, many biblical and theological translations use the word “vanity” instead of pride, although in that sense they are practically the same.
For Christians, this was one of the worst possible sins. The Christian ascetic and thinker Evagrius Ponticus (345-399 AD) included it in his list of the “eight temptations” that led humans to hell, stating that “vanity corrupted everything it touched.”
This list was later reduced to seven and renamed the “capital sins” or “mortal sins” by Pope Gregory the Great (c. 540-604). According to the latter, “vanity is the beginning of all sins.” Must Read About Envy Once.
Vanity, Pride, and Arrogance
These three terms, in a general sense, can be used synonymously: they all relate to an excessive self-esteem, to the idea that one is above others or that one is worth more than others. This idea is contrary to almost all human philosophical and religious traditions, so it is frowned upon in virtually all cultures.
But there are nuances between them that need to be clarified. In general, when we talk about vanity, it is associated with a personality defect and a clearly negative trait, but at the same time, it is primarily related to physical appearance, attractiveness to others, or narcissism. A vain person is usually depicted in front of a mirror, in love with himself.
On the other hand, pride and arrogance are more difficult to differentiate. Always with negative connotations, arrogance refers to people who believe themselves superior to others and expect others to give in and compromise. Another trait, also often attributed to proud people, is that they don’t apologize, don’t “lower” themselves to the level of others, and prefer to persevere in error rather than admit that they are capable of being wrong.
However, pride also has a positive meaning: that feeling of satisfaction that comes from a job well done, or from a family member who triumphs and whose joy we share. Seen this way, pride distances itself from arrogance and becomes an almost opposite, almost humble feeling: joy because things turned out well in the end, because they could have gone wrong for us, like for anyone else. Must Read About Gluttony Once.
References
All the information we offer is supported by authoritative and up-to-date bibliographic sources, which ensure reliable content in line with our editorial principles.
- Vanity in Wikipedia.
- Vanity in the Dictionary of the Spanish Language of the Royal Spanish Academy.
- Vanity: the mirror is the others in Philosophy & Co.
- Pride in Wikipedia.
- Vanity in info.
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