I don't have a problem with that, per say. Though I guess it does at times manifest as arrogance, I think it is more, shall we say, knowing my place. You can blame this on all my ancient readings. The Greeks wouldn't have seen anything wrong with someone vaunting their lineage and achievements, so long as they were not setting themselves too high. There's a good reason that in Greek the same word often means both courage and arrogance: they are not polar opposites, but arrogance is simply 'too much', ie. having overstepped who someone is. Knowing who you are, and your place, is one of the cardinal pieces of widsom in the Greek worldview (immortalized on the door at Delphoi with the words gnothi sauton and, also, meden agan.) As such, I do have a streak that many might see as arrogant, though I do not see it as so - I do not have any trouble submitting the authority of someone that I percieve of as having greater knowledge in an area, etc. I think I very much like to see myself in my proper place. In many situations this is, indeed, head and shoulders above most (at least in so far as intellectual pursuits are concerned... though 'most' does not include my brilliant peers, of which there are many.) Of course, this does then have a certain responsibility to attempt to draw all others up to my level, or at least inspire them with my enthusiasm for whatever I may know. I have no fear for being somehow 'usurped' or shown up, and I would that all would know the things I do.
But you are right, ZeaLitY, many are afraid of expressing such a view, in part, I suppose, do to a democratic concept of equality. What you are speaking of hearkens more to the aristocratic mindset of the kalloi kagathoi, which I does, in a way, seem rather attractive to me. This might just be a rebellion against what I perceive as an over-emphasis on the daily and vulgar in many things (by vulgar I mean commonplace, rather than morally reprehensible.) The desire to be normal and that the hoi polloi are somehow the standard of what is good is strange to me. As, indeed, I have less a liking of that son of a vegetable seller, Euripides, and more regard for that warrior-poet whom the long-haired Medes feared, Aeschylus. And as much as it has some theological difficulties to my mind, even the concept of a Superman, I must admit, is not entirely without some appeal to me.
And so it is true, ZeaLitY, and you do say it well. We are all human, and human worth in the moral sense (if you believe in such things), is equal. But it must be admitted that we are not all equal in terms of benefit to the whole, or importance to society at large. As much as people wish to say, for example, that great things cannot be done without the working class, etc., and as much as that is true, one overseer, one planner or designer, one thinker, is more individually important than one worker. This does not mean that that individual's freedom or life or any such aspect is of lesser value, but the individual value to society is not so great.
Of course, I am speaking of a somewhat aristocratic mind here. But unlike in days past where nobility was born, nowadays - moreso if not yet entirely - nobility is something that one can achieve by the implementation of one's gifts and talents. In some ways, more like the old heroic ethos: the king was not the man who sat idly on the throne. Why were the heroes of the old wars regarded so highly? As Glaukos says (or perhaps it is Sarpedon, I forget... it is one of the Lykian commanders at any rate), it is because they stand foremost in the ranks that they are given the honour of the choicest meats and wines, and regarded as gods in their homeland. Kings for what they are... a good concept.
Again, we cannot devalue someone's human worth, but I think we can gauge, by varying scales, one's position relative to others. On the scale of, say, musical aptitude, I have no doubt that I would rank very badly next to most of you, and I will readily admit my inferiority there. Likewise if we were to guage physical strength. But in the matter of academics, in sheer range of learning and studies, I rank amongst the highest. This is not arrogance, this is simply what is, and admitting that is simply having no false modesty. If I want to be truly pious according to my beliefs (though ZeaLitY and others might disagree on this account), I can attribute the cause to God via fate. But it remains that I am the person who I am, both the good and bad elements. A whole knowledge and understanding of one's self, therefore, of who one is, neither setting one's self too high or too low, is ever the best policy.
Again, gnothi sauton kai meden agan!
