The Economy Against Humility
It might seem like humility is a square peg in the round hole of economics—it just cannot fit. Indeed, the influential, “capitalist” philosopher Ayn Rand was uncomfortable with altruism and humility in economics, and her beliefs have been eagerly received by many modern conservatives. Put simply, she argued that rational self-interest (what she provocatively called “selfishness”) is a moral virtue—not something to be ashamed of, but necessary for culture to thrive. To be fair to Rand, she defined selfishness as “concerns with one’s own interests.”[1] This is not necessarily problematic, but she takes the idea further saying that man “must live for his own sake, neither sacrificing himself to others nor sacrificing others to himself… his own happiness is man’s highest moral purpose.”[2]
This plays out in her novel, Atlas Shrugged, where Rand connects the entrepreneurs, industrialists, scientists, and innovators of society who metaphorically carry the world on their shoulders to the Greek myth of Atlas, who physically carries the world on his shoulders. When incentives for productivity are eroded away in the name of altruism, the movers of society abandon their endeavors. Atlas shrugs, leaving the world to fall.
Defending Humility
In stark contrast to Rand’s prohibition of self-sacrifice, Paul instructs in Philippians 2:3–4 to “do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” So then, humility at large needs no defense, but does humility hinder ingenuity and hard work?
In 1 Corinthians 15:10, Paul says “I am what I am” by grace, yet he has “worked harder than any of them.” What industry does grace afford? Apparently, a lot! What were Paul’s incentives here? They were certainly not performance-based—they were “by the grace of God.” No amount of money, clout, social standing, career advancement, competition, job security—some usual incentives for us moderns—could make Paul work as hard as he did. Furthermore, the grace shown to him was productive (“was not in vain”)! His incredibly fruitful work was produced by something that he did not initiate. It was by grace that his hard work manifested. What a humbling incentive to work as hard as you can!
Are the works that Paul produced “simply” love and peace, rather than the needs of the economy—yield, profit, widgets, and services? By no means! Many in our culture question the productivity of Christianity, for instance, “if you count on national health services, pension funds and free education, you need to thank Marx and Lenin,”[3] not Christianity.
However, when history is viewed soberly, even staunch skeptics of Christianity like Bart Ehrman see the industriousness of Christianity. Ehrman notes that “prior to the Christian conquest of the Empire, the Western world knew of no such things as hospitals, orphanages, private charities, or governmental assistance to the poor. These are Christian innovations.”[4]
During the Plague of Cyprian, pagan physicians and priests abandoned entire cities, fleeing the death. Christians, however, stayed, caring for the ill, so that “it is entirely plausible that Christian nursing would have reduced the mortality rate by as much as two-thirds!”[5]
What virtue best fosters and demonstrates an economic dependence on and trust in God? Humility. What virtue best encourages philanthropy in a culture—both in private investment and in charity? Humility. What could possibly possess a person to expose him/herself to the plague—almost guaranteeing death—so that the terminally ill might be comforted? Humility! It is a disposition of increasing self-sacrifice that culminates in human flourishing.
Humility in the Workplace
Not only does humility lead to the thriving of humanity, humility also leads to thriving in the workplace. What if the core of the ethos of every worker—engineer, plumber, doctor, teacher, politician—was humility? It bears countless fruits indispensable to the workplace. Here are a few:
Humility accepts criticism. There are fewer traits that we should want more in a worker than one who is receptive to feedback. Imagine a workplace where everyone responds with teachable attitudes when criticized. How easy it would be to settle conflict in a workplace where everyone patiently receives criticism!
Humility fosters self-correction and continual learning. The humble worker is always open to the idea that his or her way is not the only correct way of doing a task. They know deeply that they are susceptible to error, and so they are primed and ready to improve.
Humility fosters proper rhythms of rest. Do we want a culture that only admires mechanistic laborers, cranking out work non-stop? Humble workers are self-correcting in their need for rest. They admit that they are weak and have a wise understanding of their need for breaks and can better identify what is an appropriate workload.
Humility fights against these behaviors in the office: anxiety-driven performance; the craving for approval; the feeling of deservedness; working for attention; working “only while being watched, as people-pleasers” (Eph. 6:6); working only for promotions. All of these stem from self-preoccupation and self-preservation. It is not difficult to imagine the results of these prideful attitudes in the workforce—exaggeration and lying; falsifying studies, research, and data; infighting among coworkers for power and accolades; disenfranchisement and lethargy in work ethic.
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