Humility and Creativity
Humility is a funny one… mainly because people view it in such different ways. Unlike the concept of love, calling someone a humble person can have positive or negative connotations.
Some people view humility as putting yourself down - denying your gifts or deflecting compliments.
Others view it almost as a spiritual state of being unaffected by the world, as C.S. Lewis famously said:
“Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it's thinking of yourself less.”
Imagine that - not thinking of yourself at all as the highest form of virtue.
But is that even possible?
I’m made from earth
It’s interesting that the English word ‘humility’ comes from the Latin ‘humilitas’ which is derived from ‘humus’ meaning ‘earth’. It signals being close to the ground - or as we commonly say, ‘down to earth’.
My understanding of humility is grounded in the idea of being a creature. The Latin association of ‘earth’ and ‘ground’ reminds me of Adam being made from clay, something which speaks deeply to our humanity. I am a dependent being, I did not bring myself into existence. For all of my efforts at self sufficiency and perceived independence, I didn’t stride into this world this way. The first full sensory experience I had in this world, touch - is an ode to dependence.
This understanding of humility helps me to veer away from faulty aspirations of self forgetfulness on the one hand and false deprecation on the other.
Having grown up in Black culture in the UK, I find self effacement as virtue in White British culture a bit of a red herring. Brits don’t like to make a big deal of themselves and have tied moral value to it.
But I wonder whether having no concern for the self leaves us vulnerable to a different kind of pride: saviourism.
Could we, in attempting not to not draw attention to ourselves out of humility, end up thinking we don’t need the attention of others, that somehow we’re above it? Might we have an overinflated view of our ability to handle life because deep down, we actually do believe we are completely okay?
I’m not the saviour
Creativity constantly touches what is most sacred to us requires resilience, but our dedication as artists can turn sour when we veer into saviour mode.
Humility keeps my creativity in check because it reminds me that I don’t have to be the expert at everything - it helps me see that truly, there’s no such thing as an original work of art and that I need the input of others to thrive.
Humility helps me see that I am created to be in relationship with others, which is why I can’t just dismiss them if I disagree. It helps me want to meet the needs of others, without fooling myself into thinking I can do this all the time.