Well, I don't think having "moral overtones" is fairly described as a character flaw. A character flaw suggests something immanent and somewhat intractable.
I agree that "self-righteous" is not a pretty thing. However, "self-righteousness" and moral indignation are not uncommon as responses, and they need not connote ones value structure or character, per se. I just thought "character flaw" was perhaps more unforgiving and judgmental than could necessarily be justified from "righteous indignation".
I don't see either righteousness or indignation as character flaws. I agree that in combination they may convey hautiness or contempt. Such a response might even be considered "flawed"; but I don't think it is necessarily a character defect. "Indignation", while it may be petty...is just as capable of being appropriate and consentual. "Righteousness", while it may be engendered by prejudice--is not necessarily so.
When those planes flew into the towers, I experienced indignation magnified a million times into repulsion and loathing. I don't think adding a value judgment to it, vis-a-vis "righteous", is necessarily indicative of a distinctive defect in character.
Perhaps "righteous" for you harkens to a distinctly religious code of value. If you were exposed to such a frequent usage and judgement, then I suppose that "character flaw" might indicate your emotional distaste for the usage. If one knew what value was being insulted, so as to provoke a moral anger...then one could fairly consider whether or not it was a character flaw or a rational anger. I believe my moral outrage at 911 was both righteous and typical. But my reliance on "righteous" as belonging to both religious and secular judgements may be atypical. In any event...I don't think religious anger is necessarily a character flaw.
"I don't have anything against value judgements, however, I don't appreciate value judgments made with attitide--hautiness, contempt, which, in addition to anger, is what is conveyed by righteous indignation"
Your response indicates your familiarity with both "indignant" and "righteous"; but I do not think it penetrates to the level of a character flaw. ;-)<g> |
