On the Virtue of Taking Oneself Lightly

Abstract

While the attitude of not taking oneself too seriously is widely praised in everyday life, philosophers have devoted very little attention to it, and Chapter 8 offers a general account of the virtue of taking oneself lightly. A proper understanding of the virtue raises some deep questions about the nature of respect and the value of psychological coherence. While some will object that taking oneself lightly is to fail to respect oneself, and others will object that a person who takes herself lightly is alienated from herself, these objections can be answered. The chapter closes with a discussion of why taking oneself lightly should be considered a virtue even under conditions of serious injustice and oppression.