How does modern talk of confidence relate to modern arrogance?
A person who has been led to feel confident saying whatever is on their mind and in their own interest has also been made to feel superior to others and often says what is unfair and controlling.
A pervasive form of arrogance today is found in a widely spread idea that can be described as invariable confidence. Invariable confidence is essentially the idea of applying confidence to everything you think and want to say or do. Confidence can be very good, so talking about it in ways that make it always look applicable can seem liberal-minded. However, being confident saying or doing whatever is on one’s mind may not always be in the best interest of others and can often lead to someone putting themself above others in unfair and controlling ways. This is why invariable confidence is a manifestation of kaino-oppressive* thinking. It seems liberal-minded but is actually conducive to unfair and controlling behavior. A person who has been led to feel confident saying whatever is on their mind and in their own interest has also been made to feel superior to others and often says what is unfair and controlling. Arrogance in general is an overbearing attitude that comes from someone thinking they are above others, so arrogance stemming from today’s talk of invariable confidence is a modern form of arrogance.
When we talk about confidence, we want to talk about confidence in ways such as trusting in our value, trusting in the good we have carefully thought about and genuinely believe in, and having the strength to voice our beliefs and act on those beliefs even when we face formidable challenges. These are the right kinds of ways to talk about confidence and can also be described as authentically liberal-minded ways to talk about confidence. Kaino-oppressive thinking conversely portrays confidence as an invariably positive trait.
However, people with the kaino-oppressive mindset do not want all people to exhibit this invariable confidence, this modern form of arrogance. They only want people to have that invariable confidence who are on their side socially and politically. The person with the kaino-oppressive mindset, who today often calls themself a “liberal,” wants those who disagree with them to be silenced and to feel socially inferior to them.
*This term was originally coined on this blog.
