The Way I Cope With and Defeat Arrogance--And it Works Every time

I am at a tough area of frustration. I have met a beast that cannot be humbled by mortal man. How I wish that it was a comic book villain that I was dealing with. Honestly, I'd prefer facing the diabolical Lex Luthor (without Superman's help) every day of he week. But sadly, this beast I call "arrogance," will never be tamed. Or never will be in my lifetime. It's been this way since Satan defiled the Garden of Eden as well as the lives of Adam and Eve.

Fact is, Satan was created by God and was one of the most-handsome angelic creatures in Heaven. But later on, Satan became victim to the then-infant beast: Arrogance and from Satan it ate the humble disposition of numerous people and grew into a gigantic "beast of insufferable pain," who is right now roaming the borders of the free world and frankly, anywhere it pleases.

This beast made from vomit and demon's defication bit me in 1975. Until this year, I was pretty easy-going and fun to be around. Honestly,I did not know or care about whom or what arrogance was or meant and the harm it could do if not resisted.

Just what is Arrogance?

• Arrogance (also called Hubris) indicates strong pride or acting extremely self-important. In particular, a loss of contact with reality and overestimating one's own competence or capability.
• Arrogance is also associated with lack of humility and love toward oneself. Examples include making oneself far more important than others or superiority. Children raised around arrogance may be arrogant themselves.
• Arrogance is usually detrimental and fosters a negative-minded culture. Some sources, however, also indicate arrogance means taking and receiving pride with one's work.
• Arrogance is different from confidence. Arrogance may be associated with insecurity. Confidence has an association with improving and examining one's own weaknesses.

Source: Wikipedia

I will not soon forget the night I saw the late Country Music singer, Conway Twitty on some television show and I felt the "Arrogance Beast" tear a hunk of my human spirit out of me and stood by laughing at me and the resentment I had toward this singer who gave off the image of: "Hey, girls, single and married. I am a famous, once good looking singer who is in fact a 'sex god,' behind the scenes."

I am not telling a lie. Twitty worked the camera like a professional pole dancer in a smoky gentleman's club, "The Bim Bam Club," on the lower, rougher side of town. Yes, the females in the audience and I suppose the females at home watching him on television loved every minute of it. I asked myself why to myself. This middle-aged man with no chiseled waist or body built by dedication to a gym. Just a headful of hair kept firm by a can of hairspray and that fake growling voice. Enough!

Many shed tears of sadness when he passed. I didn't. And looking back, if I had "cried" it would just be me acting to be sad when I wasn't. I wasn't a hypocrite.

This beast has been taking bites out of my spirit over the years and somehow, I grew used to this torture. That was until I saw Tom Brady, "Mr. Perfect," in an NFL game one Sunday afternoon. Then the "Arrogant Beast," took a bigger bite of my spirit when Brady, in his perfect fashion, smiled that "Look at me," smile at the sidelines camera. What is this guy trying to prove? I debated to myself.

Okay. Brady was then, and still now, one of the "select few," men in the world who cannot err or make errors of any kind. Do not get your ire up for I am telling the truth. When did you ever read about or see Tom Brady make JUST ONE mistake on or off the gridiron? No, you haven't for NFL authorities fear Brady and his arrogant looks and disposition. Even the local police where Brady lives in his multi-billion-dollar apartment fear him for they must think that one word from Brady to God and they are history.

How do you spot an Arrogant Person?

Here are some easy ways to avoid being embarrassed by people such as Tom Brady, Shawn White and others:

• Arrogant persons always expect lackies such as myself to beg for their autograph. Thereby they all carry ink pens in their writing hands.
• Arrogant persons are used to being served and waited on for every need from huge to small. People like Ashton Kutcher, another arrogant soul, just has to form his lips to whatever he needs and his underpaid, lower class entourage runs over themselves to get whatever ne needs.
• Arrogant persons while being interviewed by (a) Jay Leno or Letterman, are not required to answer questions like common people. The Tom Bradys of the world merely grunt or giggle, perfectly of course, and the host and audience almost die from hard laughter.

Example:

David Letterman: "So, Tom Brady, you are THE only perfect man and athlete in our world, so what was your strategy in winning the Super Bowl?"

Brady: (grins at audience. Flashes his teeth). "Uhhh, well, I uh, played . . ."

Letterman and audience goes nuts with laughter.

If you ask me, such behavior and arrogance makes me sick to my stomach? Am I talking to anyone else WHO IS READING this story?

• Arrogant persons look at you like you are a fool if you merely speak to them in a humble manner.
• Arrogant persons (today) not only look as if they are better than you, but they will tell you in a few words, "Listen, common man. I am a super-famous and wealthy person, and my very words cause people to fear and worship me, so why am I even speaking to you?"
• Arrogant persons always have "that" mouth that hangs half-open as if that were a sign of superior status.
• Arrogant persons cannot survive unless they have THE best of everything--homes, cars, yachts, food, wives, children, pets, and clothing. Do you see the price that the "Arrogant Beast" makes you pay for going from common to super-sickening and arrogant.
• Arrogant persons never call anyone for anything. Restaurants, television networks and movie studios call them every day around the clock and are even honored to be rejected by (a) Bill Billichick, arrogant coach of arrogant Tom Brady.

Other Arrogant People

• George Clooney
• Jimmy Fallon
• Madonna
• Jerry Seinfield
• Dan Patrick
• Alex O'Laughlin
• James Caan
• Will Smith
• Kayne West
• Prince Charles
• O.J. Simpson
• Shawn White

Source: Me. Kenneth Avery

Somewhere near the 10th grade, I recall an anger-fest where me and a buddy were made to feel low simply because we refused to glorify folksinger, Bob Dylan due to a new song that he has just released. My buddy and I were not fans of Dylan. Not that we found anything wrong with his character. We just did not follow him.

Our out-and-out refusal angered a few of our so-called friends to the point of one asking me, "I do not see why you and your friend for once cannot take time to lift Bob Dylan up to the level he has earned." I replied with a one word answer, "Why?" The misguided girl returned an uneducated, "Cuz!" And if my friend and I had not walked away, that asinine conversation would still be going on today.

I've found this "defense" useful over the years. Just being cool and not going nuts yelling praise and falling to worship any celebrity who comes down the pike.

And even in February of 2015, I have yet to hear one sensible answer to my simple question of "Why?"