Humility is often only a feigned submission of which we make use to render others submissive. It is an artifice of pride which abases in order to exalt itself.

This maxim argues that humility is often a performance rather than genuine virtue, used strategically to make others lower their guard or feel superior. The speaker suggests that this fake modesty is actually a subtle form of pride, one that stoops down only to rise higher in comparison.

Context reviewed 23 September 2026