On Humility and Intellect (…and Pretentious Titles)

Intellect, like many other features that radically define how a person is seen and sees himself (such as, most prominently, physical beauty) is entirely non-chosen, with relatively limited room for effort-driven change. In this sense it is no better a measure of a man (in terms of value judgment) than his height, weight, or shoe size.

To purposely downplay one’s intelligence, then, is not an act of humility so much as it is an acknowledgement of perceived self-superiority. The concept of humility, after all, applies only to situations in which an individual is genuinely deserving of praise or commendation. To be humble about a naturally-endowed physical characteristic (such as intellectual capacity) is, in effect, to reflect a belief that it is not only earned and deserved, but a vitally important measure of a man’s value.