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That is a defensive line of thinking.

False modesty is not the opposite of arrogance. Arrogance is not defined as that thing which makes someone more likely to speak up when something is wrong.

Arrogance (or modesty for that matter) is more to do with the mind then the mouth. By most people's definition, arrogance is a sort of emotional weakness that impairs judgement in various ways. Very few people who use the term equate it with outward honesty. The contrary, many would probably equate it with inward dishonesty.

I am not accusing you of arrogance myself. I do agree that many of those things that people use to diagnose arrogance might actually indicate steadfastness, confidence, straightforward honesty or some other mostly positive attribute. But as the argument turns in on itself, people's ability to diagnose each others' emotions is actually fairly evolved. Failure to recognise the possibility that they might have a point, might be..arrogant.



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