Comments on: Are The Self-Righteous Righteous?

By: Mary Stewart

Mary Stewart — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 22:35:46 +0000

I’d appreciate feedback on this example:
How about the self-righteous person who feels they have strong morals and profess a strong faith in God, yet they’re unable to speak directly to a coworker they detest? I wonder how self-righteous anyone can be when they don’t have the courage to deal directly with those they oppose but prefer to spread negative comments about them to unknowing outsiders?

By: Denise M.

Denise M. — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 01:15:32 +0000

Two comments on those cheating on tests being self defined as moral:
First, someone who’s going to cheat on a test will be deceptive in an interview.
Second, many define ethics by two methods, what’s right and wrong in the abstract and then, a second definition, when it’s beneficial to redefine wrong as right if it’s in one’s favor.

By: Kellevision

Kellevision — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 18:05:21 +0000

Self Righteousness

The Overcoming Bias site has posted an interesting article on Self Righteousness. They make several interesting points:

By: Doug S.

Doug S. — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 02:17:34 +0000

I found a news article that is relevant to this post.

By: Samir Nurmohamed

Samir Nurmohamed — Sat, 10 Nov 2007 19:24:38 +0000

Thanks for the link on the ‘Ego Biases’ article – I’d love to see more on this subject.

By: Skyfort

Skyfort — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 03:43:28 +0000

As to the original question, it does depend on if you’re talking RELATIVE righteousness or ABSOLUTE righteousness. (In neither case will humility deny the obvious).

By: Skyfort

Skyfort — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 03:38:00 +0000

“For example, if you believe reasonably that many people in class cheat successfully, and beat you for a spot in a university, wouldn’t it be reasonable to consider cheating? Otherwise non-cheaters fall and cheaters rise.”

And if you become one more cheater-on-the-rise, how does that keep non-cheaters from falling? You’ve only become what you wanted to overcome.

By: outeast

outeast — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 09:59:52 +0000

A propos of Laura’s comment, my SOED (consistent with my own usage of the expression, and with the claim that this is a negatiove trait) defines ’self-righteous’ as excessively conscious of or insistent on one’s own righteosness.

By: Laura

Laura — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 00:18:38 +0000

I don’t think we necessarily object to people “being confident of being righteous” as the definition of “self-righteous” would suggest. Rather I think the condescending attitude that “self-righteous” people sometimes assume, and the shrillness with which they proclaim the obviousness of their righteousness is what is bothersome. It is not that self-righteous people are certain that they are righteous, but that they try to use the obviousness of their moral righteousness as evidence in determining what we should do instead of carefully explaining a logical argument. “People in Africa are starving so we should send them aid, and if you don’t want to send them aid, then that’s tantamount to murder, and you’re a bad person. My intentions are pure because I donate all of my disposable income to charity so I am good and whatever I say we should do will be good…” Instead of arguing why the option is the best one among many, it is merely the right one.

By: Mike Simons

Mike Simons — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 23:51:55 +0000

I wonder if it would be possible to define a class of 'ego biases'. I'm reminded of the well circulated article "Unskilled and Unaware of It". Some biases help us insulate our minds from moral struggles and other insolvable problems that we would rather not think about on a daily basis. These same biases help us maintain a positive self-image, which is invaluable.