Humility

Let’s face it. It’s hard to be humble. In fact, if there is any weakness of man that has prevented him from succeeding it is most often than not, pride.

Maybe I’m just being too emotional here but today, after having a debate with some “linguists” and “PHD” holders about something, I felt so heavy. The point is when you want to say something and you’re saying it not for anything but for the fact that you are right, people won’t listen to you if you don’t have a title. They won’t. You won’t be heard while those who are “authorities(?)” are listened to even if they are egregiously wrong! This simply drives me nuts! And while there are those who listen to you, they only do it so that they could feed the other party some information they would throw next time around. So today, I have made a few resolutions of the things I would and wouldn’t do once I already have my PHD.

1) Keep my humility. When arguing about something, I will never use my title or claim that I am an expert like “I’m a linguist so I should know..” or “I’m a doctor!” After all not all PHDs are truly experts, some of their claim to be so but deep inside the PHD cloak is a dimwitted individual.

2) Open my mind for corrections. This is to admit that I am just human. My knowledge is limited only to things I know. If I commit a mistake, I would readily admit it and say, “I stand corrected.” Or “I’m not so familiar with that. Let me check it out.”

3) Practice Prudence. Before making conclusions, I will make sure that my contentions are correct and supported by sources. I learned this from experience. I wouldn’t want to sound so idiotic for a PHD holder.

4) Keep learning. Exhaust time and energy to learn more and discover new things. After all, every single day, many discoveries happen and what is true now may no longer be true tomorrow.

5) Speak only when asked to give my opinion and know all sides of the issue. Need I say more?

6) Established a good name. This is to say, building my integrity both as a private and public person. Exhibit likable qualities as teacher and colleague, son and brother, friend and neighbor.

7) Help others. Not only the poor but anybody who needs help.

And lastly, I won’t ever say, “Are you a linguist?”