When does humility become docility?

Question

If someone picks a fight with you, and you just walk away, how is that viewed by others?

Answer 1

Humility is a subset of docility. Humility is docility by choice, when the choice comes from moral motivation. Fortunately (or unfortunately), only you (and perhaps your friends) know the true motivation for your choice.

That's why it's easier to appear humble when you have obvious superiority or at least equality. Then observers (or perhaps yourself?) have no doubt that the choice was made for humble reasons rather than for reasons of submission (docility by force) or apathy (docility by ignorance), which are other subsets of docility. This doesn't mean someone who is not superior cannot excercise humility, it's just harder to appear that way because of the other possible motives.

Answer 2

The virtue of humility becomes the vice of docility when you use it as an excuse for not letting your light shine. Many people ape modesty when the truth is they're afraid of trying either for fear of failing, or the fear of succeeding and raising expectations for future performance.

How is walking away from a fight viewed? That cannot be answered out of context. It depends on the situation and the prior histories of the individuals. Any number of variables can be at work. Sorry I can't give you something more definitive.

Cheers, mate.

Answer 3

I think God in 'Joan of Arcadia' put it best:

GOD: Stop underachieving. Stop squandering the potential I gave you. Have some pride.
JOAN: What about humility?
GOD: Humility isn't actually humility unless there's something you're good enough at to be humble about.

Or perhaps the Tao said it just as well:

The Master, by residing in the Tao,
sets an example for all beings.
Because he doesn't display himself,
people can see his light.
Because he has nothing to prove,
people can trust his words.

In other words, a real fighter doesn't have to beat people up to prove himself. That is humility. On the other hand, if you're running away from fights because you're afraid of getting your keister handed to you, then that is cowardice. Docility would be when you can't or won't fight, even when it finally IS the right thing to do.

Answer 4

It depends on what the fight is about and who it's with. A humble person is modest and doesn't proclaim to be special, although they may in fact be(everyone is special in their own way). On the other hand, a docile person is, according to definition, 'willing to be led'. Docile can be good or bad depending on how it's viewed; humility, in my opinion, is always a good thing.

Some fights are meant to be fought no matter what others think.

(oh boy I hope that makes sense.....)

Answer 5

Sadly, the implication of your question hits a very sad nail square on the head.
Let me share the answer I gave to a previous Q, asked by a young lady named Koko Butta Kream:

"Doesn't the idea of war seem a little primitive and barbaric?"

Yes, but so does the idea of the average guy wanting to kick some tail just because someone said or did something that p*ssed him off.
It's ingrained in our culture on that level. We, or most of us, raise children to believe that violence is an acceptible response to anger. We may say differently, but we teach by the example of our own actions. A guy touches your lady, or talks trash on the basketball court, you start throwing fists, and if you don't, you're not a man. That's the real lesson we teach.
From there it's just a short jump to armies at war.

Answer 6

I normally dont walk away.....

besides I wouldnt care what others think

Answer 7

It is viewed by people who would have done the same thing as cowardice and it is viewed by the people who would have fought as courage.

Answer 8

I usually walk away unless they put their hands on me... if they do that, all bets are off and I'm gonna plant them into the sidewalk. But if they just get up in my face and act all tough, that doesn't impress or scare me, nor does it provoke me into striking first.