The hero and the robber: what would you have your child become

Considering the flavor of the age, humility probably requires greater courage and strength of character than does arrogance. All too often often have we seen arrogance and disdain for others being described as "self respect and dignity!" We often teach our children to learn to walk with their heads held high and almost nothing about the values that can help them do so. As a result , more often than not, they end up inventing other 'assets' -- such as riches, wealth, power - even anger and the courage to disrespect others -- as the basis for their right to walk tall. A day comes, and our children grow up and the more sensible among them discover that, minus these assets, they have nothing much to take pride in. Values that could have formed inalienable parts of their being, assets that would keep them company all their lives, values such as truth, honesty, simplicity, love, compassion, genuine humility and the courage to stand up for what they consider righteous -- this is the wealth we never thought much of when grooming and educating our children. Success without a concern for these values is the success of a robber; that's what distinguishes a robber from a hero. A robber has no need to be virtuous or humble in order to succeed; a hero has no need to be vicious or arrogant. And robbery is not committed with fire-arms alone; sometimes -- often -- cunning, falsehood, treachery etc. are even deadlier weapons. Thats what we generally see around us in what one can only describe as "peaceful and socially respectable robbery."