Indigency is the quickest road
Out of hubris
Few of us can afford
Its high price
Hubris, or arrogance, is powerfully seductive in the human mind. This excessive self-confidence seems to be an inescapable part of egocentricity. Nonetheless, as humans feel more powerful and secure, hubris dangerously careens into indifference and disconnection from other humans and the rest of life. Hubris short-circuits empathy and compassion. Research shows that wealth and power lead to reduced compassion. Recognizing our own vulnerability, our own areas of insecurity and powerlessness, reinforce empathy and compassion, better connecting us with others. This vulnerability is a central aspect of intimacy, which is key to living into our full humanity. If we are not able to risk and trust, then we will be disabled regarding forming deep social connections, having to settle for relative isolation. In this short poem, I use indigency as a proxy and condition of vulnerability; thus, making it an insurance policy against hubris. I chose indigency as the surest and quickest road out of hubris because it has the benefit of having the material conditions to support vulnerability built-in, not just an emotional or mental state to be maintained by sheer will or mental activity. Also, I would like to redeem the state of indigency, which has a nearly universal negative connotation. I see indigency as one of two basic realities in life. We are dependent. We are dependent on other people and a myriad of other things that we have no control over. The other basic reality is that we are free, we have control, at least some control, over ourselves. I think our attitude over our “indigency,” our dependence on things outside of us, forms our most fundamental spiritual state, our attitude toward the world. How will I relate to others and the world around me? Will I act in ways affirming friendliness and beneficence, or cruelty and indifference? My attitude does not definitively answer the question of whether the universe is friendly or not, but it does define the nature of my agency and how I choose to vote — by my actions. What will I contribute to the world? Modern psychology affirms the fact that people function better with a positive outlook than a negative outlook. People seem to be better suited to acting in accordance with being in a sea of grace than in a cold, indifferent world. Hubris denies the former and is a vote for indifference — which rather conveniently, is a vote for oneself over all else (not exactly indifferent, just unaware of one’s bias)! The last line of the poem, “Its high price,” is purposely vague, in that “it” can refer to the high price of hubris and the high price of indigency. Life seems to exact a price no matter what choices we make. Life demands effort. There is a price to be paid. Would you rather pay the high cost of indigency or the high cost of hubris? By the way, hubris is the default!
