Humility

Response to "Reflections of a YC Dropout" http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=330470

"Be humble" is bad advice. Humility isn't an independent trait like "smart" that means "self-critical." It's socially contextual that means "benevolently knows his place." For example, Jesus is the most humble man possible, yet he claimed to be God. Yet, a nerd is openly disrespected for merely claiming to be good at video games. Jesus was so humble that even him _existing_ was a sacrifice. Yet, a nerd is disrespected the more he tries to do anything, and nerds are notoriously self-critical.

So "humility" can't simply mean "self-critical." Yet, when one _tries_ to be humble, that's what one tries first. The result is arrogant people acting pathetic. When one _is_ humble, it's not self-criticism itself that matters, but the right amount of it.

There's something about "networking" that attracts people who try to be better and repels by people who are better. I don't know what it is precisely, but it's the difference between that and "networking" without the quotes.

And, there's something about "growing out of geeky" that makes one sensitive to that difference. Maybe the difference _is_ humility.

For example, I wrote this post in Paul-Graham-essay style. Does that make me less humble? It doesn't feel humble to post this. It makes me uncomfortable. But, saying that it makes me uncomfortable makes me more comfortable.