Dignity: what is it, definition of the concept, examples

A little about the concept

The term can be characterized not only from a legal, but also from a moral point of view. As the latter, it is a complex of moral characteristics inherent in the individual. As a legal aspect, this is a benefit that is intangible. It belongs to all people. It cannot be inherited or taken away.

You can often come across the word “self-dignity.” Then we are talking about the individual’s desire for self-respect, coupled with the presence of conscious principles of morality and ethics.

But it must be noted that the concept is not synonymous with narcissism. Indeed, in the first case, we are talking about respect directed at us and helping to build positive relationships with members of society and at the same time fight for our rights and defend our point of view.

Narcissistic people put themselves first. For them, moral values ​​are unlikely to matter, especially when they do not correspond to the goals and plans they have set.

A worthy person respects not only his own person, but also all participants in society. This is characterized by his behavior, where the priority is politeness, delicacy, intelligence and truthfulness. Such individuals have developed willpower and excellent spiritual traits. They do not criticize others or gossip, but at the same time they are capable of sober assessment of personality and awareness of their importance. Therefore, they do not accept outside opinions, if they differ from theirs, as reliable.

When a person values ​​himself, he is free from stereotypical opinions and social prejudices, he is truly independent and will achieve success both personally and professionally. This is what dignity means.

How does it manifest itself?

To make it clearer, let's look at specific examples of signs that a person has a well-developed heart rate:

1. Adequate stable self-esteem. A person realistically assesses his capabilities and his influence on other people: he does not exaggerate or minimize them.
2. Independence from other people's opinions. He calmly accepts both praise and criticism without experiencing wavering self-esteem. Remember: PSD cannot be combined with dependence and increased attention to the opinions of others.
3. Self confidence. A person with self-respect believes in his own abilities and sets ambitious goals. His confidence is backed by experience of real achievements in the past.
4. Self-sufficiency. He himself is able to satisfy his own needs and does not pull anything from others.
5. Respect for other people. This is the recognition of each person’s own will, the refusal to violate boundaries.
6. Inner harmony. Lack of psychological defenses, internal conflicts, complexes. Honesty to yourself.
7. Courage. A person with self-esteem is able to confront his fears.
8. Reliability. He is responsible for every word spoken, fulfills all his promises and obligations to other people.
9. Loyalty to one's own principles and beliefs. A person with CSD clearly follows his principles, even if for the sake of this he has to give up some benefits.

Self-esteem is often confused with self-confidence. To clearly distinguish between these two concepts, I advise you to read our article on what overconfidence is.

What does the concept include?

This is an internal moral category meaning self-respect. This is an integral, innate property, inherent from birth - to treat yourself with respect, regardless of the opinions of society and others.

The term is very closely related to “morality”, which determines the value of any of us. It is this characteristic that allows you to feel useful and necessary for society, even if the circumstances in life are not the best.

The trait is particularly significant for everyone and at the same time it is individual and cannot be taught. But if it is poorly developed, then it can be educated, since a deficiency leads to a decrease in living standards.

But in addition to personal belonging, the feeling also has social significance. It is important because a person respects others too. And the totality of worthy people is the ideal to which any state strives.

It is dignity that allows an individual to be confident in himself and his capabilities, as well as in his actions and activities. The result of this is the internal harmony of one’s own “I” with a positive assessment of society. And this, in turn, gives a feeling of happiness and completeness.

This state can inspire, motivate for new exploits and achieve success in all endeavors. Therefore, it can be called fundamental for personal growth.

Everyone’s self-respect also manifests itself in public life. Such people will not tarnish their honor, will responsibly complete their assigned tasks and will maintain their duty to their homeland, parents and offspring. In extreme situations, it will help you act quickly and competently to save yourself and others.

Psychologist Daria Milai

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A worthy person adheres to established laws and moral principles, because this is the essence of honoring others. Thanks to this feeling, she will help the poor and needy, and will not refuse support to those who really need it.

The main features included in this definition:

• sincerity;
• honesty;
• activity;
• strength of will;
• sociability;
• attentiveness;
• determination;
• kindness;
• responsibility;
• ability to quickly adapt;
• discipline.

By the way, it is these characteristics that employers pay attention to. Thanks to numerous studies, psychologists have developed special tests to determine an individual's advantages. These are the ones you should make your strengths when communicating with bosses, relatives or new acquaintances.

But if specific features are good for some, will they be as useful for others? For example, if courage and perseverance are important to gentlemen, would they be equally valuable to all girls?

Common Benefits: Social Benefits

It is impossible to become a self-sufficient person without learning to harmoniously combine the strengths and weaknesses of character. Successful marriages are characterized by the compatibility of partners who have successfully accepted each other's strengths and weaknesses. The search for a “golden” mean that allows you to remain yourself and evoke sympathy from others is a life goal that appears on a subconscious level since childhood. The first step towards personal improvement can be taken by adding positive qualities to your image:

Mercy and compassion allow you to support a loved one in difficult times, lending a comradely “shoulder.” Such qualities reflect the breadth of the soul, ready to share someone else’s grief. Sociability – the ability to find a common language even with a stranger. It is easy to build a constructive dialogue with a relaxed and sociable person, because he is ready to have a lively conversation about abstract things and share specialized knowledge on familiar topics. Nobility, especially in demand in the Middle Ages, today becomes a rare artifact that complements the personal appearance. This quality embodies honesty and courage, selflessness and high moral concepts. Loyalty is a thinning component of a person’s image, because the importance of the institution of family in the 21st century is decreasing every second. The number of divorces, which have become the logical conclusion of the breakup of couples, is growing exponentially. Loyalty to friend, parent, job, and romantic partner falls into a certain category of disappearing qualities. Attention to current situations and unnoticed details is a useful trait that allows you to easily navigate the fast pace of life. People do not notice banal things, missing important acquaintances and fateful events. Foresight and insight become another virtue of personal appearance, allowing one to find an approach to a stranger and prevent the betrayal of a loved one. This quality helps to timely identify the thoughts of the interlocutor, which he does not dare to say out loud.

To achieve the desired result, complementing your inner world with the above qualities, you need to diligently engage in self-development and personal growth. The main principle on which self-improvement training programs are based is control of one’s own emotions, which provoke people to crazy and senseless actions.

Examples of the concept of human dignity

Due to the presence of gender differences, the property is also expressed differently. Therefore, when cultivating this characteristic in yourself, this fact should be taken into account. But if you don’t know where to start and how to improve the quality of your life, then in personal consultations I will help you cope with these difficulties and draw up the right action plan.

Male representatives

The most striking example of manifestation is the performance of military duty in difficult times for the state or the protection of the country due to professional affiliation.

In all eras, the military was considered the ideal of male dignity. After all, these individuals have a concept of duty. They are ready to give their lives to protect family, friends and even strangers.

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The term about the honor of a warrior includes not only protection of his homeland, but also respect for the state flag, strict execution of orders regardless of the circumstances.

Another option is endurance and strength competitions. After all, defeating an opponent of equal or superior strength is also a manifestation of the characteristic under discussion.

In a similar way, the gentleman wants to prove his merit in respect and recognition. In addition, the competition strictly follows the principles of fairness and parity.

Even if a man does not work as a rescuer, it is he who will rush to provide assistance in an extreme situation. Actions such as rescuing people from a fire or rescuing a drowning person indicate that a gentleman is capable of being responsible and can help those in need at any time.

Women

Since ancient times, it has been believed that the main advantage of female representatives is the ability to be a gentle and caring wife and mother. How well she manages to support the family hearth gives the girls a sense of their own worth and worth.

If a woman has self-respect and clearly knows her needs, then she will always have a worthy companion with her. After all, these qualities help her achieve balance in her relationship with her lover.

In the case when she knows how to value not only herself and her choice, the man will feel supported and caring. And this will inspire him to new exploits and make him want to be the best for his chosen one.

For children, this definition of dignity is a serious life guide. As a rule, in such families a child grows up who subsequently follows the same attitudes and retains only positive character traits.

A decent woman will not gossip, judge or criticize. Since she respects her personality, wasting her resources on negative conversations is not for her. In her speech she does not use profanity or rudeness, and her gestures and facial expressions will not seem vulgar to anyone.

Such a person is capable of showing respect for someone else's appearance, views and actions. At the same time, she takes care of herself, tries to be well-groomed and beautiful. After all, wrinkled clothes, disheveled hair, a bad smell are things that often cause hostility. Love and self-respect are manifested precisely in taking care of yourself and your appearance. And this is the first thing that catches the eye of others.

Meaning

This property pushes a person to make the right decisions, to demonstrate nobility in both actions and behavior, and also contributes to the recognition of the individual by society and the achievement of success not only in his career, but also in his personal life.

At all times, decent character has been highly valued in society. Especially when it took place in critical cases. This concept is important for a social system in the sense that the more such people there are in it, the more perfect it is.

We should talk not only about the moral side of the issue, but also about the legal one. The article on the protection of honor and dignity is prescribed in the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation (Article 152). It provides all Russian citizens with the prerogative to protect their own interests in court.

Let me give you an example. From time to time, the media publish articles that defame media personalities. Publications of an offensive nature may be recognized in court as a violation of the law, provided that the falsehood of the information is proven.

A person who has been publicly defamed may demand the publication of a refutation, as well as compensation for moral damages or damages.

But the Criminal Code also touches on this issue. These types of crimes include situations where people are kidnapped or illegally deprived of their liberty, sold into slavery, slandered or hospitalized without their consent.

How is it protected by the Russian state?

The right to personal dignity in the Russian Federation, as well as other rights of a citizen and a person, are subject to protection and protection by the state. The state has very specific mechanisms aimed at suppressing violations of basic rights and freedoms.

Before talking about these mechanisms, which are regulated by various branches of law, the concept of humiliation of personal dignity should be mentioned. It should be understood as the dissemination of false information about a person, which belittles or puts in an unfavorable light his actions, deeds, as well as moral and intellectual qualities. Humiliation of personal qualities is unacceptable, and various forms of responsibility are provided for the commission of corresponding actions.

Thus, from the point of view of civil legislation, personal dignity refers to intangible benefits, which, in addition to the concept under consideration, include:

• life and health;
• good name;
• business reputation;
• privacy;
• authorship.

This list is not exhaustive.

In accordance with Article 150 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation, intangible benefits are protected by law. Thus, in relation to the subject discussed in the article, a person has the right to use various methods of protecting his civil rights, including intangible benefits that are inalienable from the moment of birth.

The list of methods for protecting civil rights is contained in Article 12 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation, which, among other things, includes:

• recognition of law;
• invalidation of acts of state bodies;
• restoration of the situation that existed before the violation of the right;
• compensation for moral damage.

So, for example, a citizen whose dignity has been humiliated has the right to go to court to demand that information discrediting him be declared unreliable, as well as to receive financial compensation from those responsible. Humiliation of dignity in a gross form is inherently illegal.

Attention! Insult, that is, an act expressed in humiliating a citizen in an indecent form, is an administrative offense (Article 5.61 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation), for which a monetary fine is imposed.

A more serious offense is the public dissemination of information discrediting a citizen or his actions. This is considered as slander, for which criminal liability is assumed (Article 128.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation).

How does it relate to self-esteem?

These two concepts are closely related, but also have some differences. Thus, respect for a person is an attitude towards oneself as an individual who has a specific set of personal characteristics and properties, as well as, albeit subjective, an assessment of one’s significance. It is how an individual perceives the inner self.

Self-esteem is the acceptance of good moral traits that influence an individual’s behavior in society and contact with others. That is, the orientation here occurs towards the external environment. A worthy person will respect himself, and non-acceptance entails a devaluation of moral qualities.

Risks of inadequate heart rate

First of all, among the risks, it is worth talking about humiliation. With a low sense of self-esteem, a person allows himself to be humiliated, and with an overestimated sense of self-esteem, he humiliates other people. Naturally, this deteriorates relationships with others. In addition, with an overestimated heart rate, a person suffers from resentment, disappointment, and frustration. If it is underestimated, it takes the role of a victim, suffers from self-flagellation, failure and unhappiness in life.

Surely you are familiar with this evaluation system: “This is below my dignity” / “I am not worthy of this.” However, both of these statements can be either adequate or inadequate. It all depends on the context. But the situation is further aggravated by the difference in interpretation of who a “worthy person” is. There is no single measure of human dignity. Therefore, you should focus on the beliefs and values ​​of a particular society, reference group and your own internal attitudes. Some define dignity by social status, others by level of intelligence, others by socially useful deeds, and others take into account all three components or name a fourth criterion.

Self-esteem also comes with responsibility. Namely, the responsibility for maintaining one’s dignity and avoiding actions that deprive one of self-respect. The borderline of the affected CSD is shame and guilt. A blow to self-esteem and shame from what happened is a common reason for victims to remain silent about rape and beatings. Some people are especially vulnerable; even everyday troubles can hurt their dignity. The result is the same - shame, humiliation, isolation. And if the values ​​that determine self-esteem differ from person to person, from culture to culture and from society to society, then the shame of loss of dignity is inevitable for everyone.

Respect for human dignity is

Any citizen has the right to be valued by the state, its individual bodies and structures, as well as members of society.

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The article of the Constitution of the Russian Federation states that this property of a person is protected by state power and there are no grounds to diminish it. This law implies that everyone has the following privileges:

• Protection from violent, tortured and humiliating acts directed at them, as well as from cruelty.
• The opportunity to voluntarily refuse experiments, both medical and scientific.
• Freedoms are available regardless of gender, age, financial status, beliefs in religion and politics.
• Own defense in court if these norms have been violated.

How to raise CHSD

The development of self-esteem and self-awareness, and therefore a sense of significance, depends on the nature of the child’s relationship with his mother. With good mutual understanding (understanding the child’s needs, attention and communication, providing independence in choosing actions and privacy), healthy self-esteem is formed. The development of self-awareness and self-esteem depends on respect for the child’s personal space (everyone needs this from birth; the child must be alone in front of the mother’s eyes, under her control).

Due to the mother's anxiety about losing control over the child and the need to regularly receive love from the child, sometimes the baby is completely deprived of free time and the opportunity to realize himself. With anxious mothers and in overprotective families, children grow up passive, uninitiative, and dependent.

So, self-esteem stems from the relationship between the child and mother in early childhood. The following scenarios are popular:

1. When a child is given personal space in the presence of his mother (another significant adult), he develops the attitude: “I have the right to mind my own affairs. I can be myself even in the company of other people. I don’t have to constantly interact with someone and I don’t have to impose.”
2. With overprotection, the child receives the instruction: “Everything must be strictly under control. Independence and spontaneity are not allowed. It is my responsibility to continually demonstrate my care and love for others.”
3. In a situation where the mother expresses her dissatisfaction and the inability to deal with personal affairs, forced communication with the child, he develops the attitude: “I need to be grateful that someone even wants to communicate with me and spend time. Someday I'll be left alone. I always bother others."
4. When a mother indulges her child and treats her as an idol, the attitude is formed: “Everyone owes me for spending time with them. I can get whatever I want for the very fact of my existence.”

In the first case, self-esteem is developed adequately, in the second and third cases - a low sense of self-esteem. In the fourth case - an inflated sense of self-esteem. Accordingly, self-esteem is adequate, underestimated and overestimated (in the same order).

A child’s self-rejection at an early stage of development causes a deficit of self-esteem in the future. Accordingly, self-acceptance builds healthy self-esteem.

How can you develop this trait?

The formation of quality occurs in childhood under the influence, first of all, of the family. And already in adulthood this category can be called formed, but it is not yet stable. Therefore, it is possible to both lose a feeling (for example, when frustration is felt for a long time) and improve it.

Dignity manifests itself in a positive attitude towards oneself, so work must begin from this moment. To begin with, it is advisable to assess your own personality as honestly and objectively as possible. It may be worth seeking help from loved ones who will point out your positive and negative characteristics.

This point is important because during it a person determines who he really is, moving away from the imposed opinions of society and taking this assessment under internal control. When an individual takes upon himself the courage to recognize and accept himself with all his shortcomings, it gives a powerful charge of energy and sets him on the path of change. The main thing is that the desire for them is determined by personal needs, and not for the convenience of others.

I recommend keeping a notebook where you can write down all your successes, victories and good qualities. Re-read your notes to improve your self-esteem.

Resist the urge to compare yourself to others. It’s better to do this with yourself: between who you were and who you have become now. You can work in several directions:

• turn off news on social networks, where there are photos of people’s success;
• review such information in order to extract your own needs and wants from negative feelings.

By the way, you should listen to your “wants”. And try to implement them as often as possible. If you start postponing happiness for the sake of others, this will slow down the process of developing dignity. After all, it turns out that they deserve joy more than you. And this is not at all true.

Often parents teach their children modesty and hiding their achievements and plans. But such tactics of action lead to the fact that a person begins to value himself much less. He seems to shrink himself in size, telling about his success only to his close circle. And this is wrong, because self-esteem is a sincere story about your victories and acceptance of praise. How you present yourself to society determines how it will treat you.

How to talk about your weaknesses

When answering the question about negative qualities, you do not need to name abstract or “good” flaws. Your task is to show that you are aware of your shortcomings, know how to deal with them and work with them. Such a presentation can make a positive impression on the employer more than a list of your achievements.

How to do it:

1. Turn negatives into positives.

“I am meticulous and scrupulous. Many people consider this my shortcoming. But for me, as an analyst, it is important to check all the data down to the smallest detail, to analyze all the details. I won't rest until I do this. In my practice, there was a case... (give an example when your meticulousness helped to detect some error).”

2. Indicate that you are working with shortcomings. Admit it, yes, you have negative qualities, but you are doing everything to correct them.

“I'm a bad speaker. When I have to speak in front of a large number of people, I get lost. I understand that this is a very big drawback for a journalist, so I’ve been taking public speaking courses for a month now. I’m still far from Cicero, but I’m making progress.”

3. Compensate for negative qualities if you understand that they cannot be turned into a plus, and it is useless to fight them.

"I am an owl. I like to sleep longer. So I might be late for work. But I don't mind staying late at the office to complete all the tasks planned for the day. I’m most productive in the afternoon, so I usually get everything done and never miss a deadline.”