The Gift of Dignity

Without dignity, one’s actions are often coded with shame. They can be smaller, more fearful. Or perhaps they are rash, and angrier. With dignity, however, actions are often coded with a sense of possibility and response-ability. The ability to respond to the situations that life has presented to you. Even if that means accepting consequences or rising to the occasion. Knowing that a sense of one’s own dignity is so important, why do we often rob other people of their dignity? One way this happens is when we try to spare someone’s feelings, by omitting information, or telling a little white lie. What we are doing in those situations is signaling to the other person, “I don’t think you are able to handle this situation.” You aren’t being kind by stopping people from having feelings. This robs people of their dignity. It is both inauthentic and not helpful for the other person. Being human involves experiencing a range of human emotions. Give people the dignity to have their own feelings.