Without favour none will know you, and with it you will not know your selfe.
This quote is essentially about the role of favoritism and bias in shaping our perceptions of ourselves and how others perceive us. The first part, “Without favour none will know you,” suggests that without some form of bias or favoritism, one may go unnoticed or unrecognized. It’s suggesting that it often takes someone’s personal interest or partiality to bring attention to another person.
The second part, “and with it you will not know your selfe,” implies that when we are the recipients of such favoritism, it can distort our self-perception. This could happen because we might start believing only in what those who favor us say and ignore other perspectives about ourselves. We might also adjust our behavior or personality to fit the expectations of those who show us this favor, thereby losing touch with our true selves.
In today’s world, this concept can be applied in many areas including social media influence, workplace politics and even personal relationships. On social media platforms like Instagram or Facebook where ‘likes’ and ‘follows’ can often seem like a measure of popularity or worthiness, people sometimes tailor their posts to gain more likes rather than expressing their authentic selves.
In workplaces too, employees might feel compelled to conform to certain behaviors in order to receive recognition from superiors instead of focusing on their genuine skills and interests. In personal relationships as well – romantic ones especially – individuals may change aspects about themselves just so they are more liked by their partners.
As for personal development perspective, Herbert’s quote warns against seeking validation solely through external approval as it can lead one astray from understanding one’s true self-worth and potential. Instead one should focus on self-awareness; knowing oneself independently from outside influences which allows for genuine growth based on individual strengths rather than perceived expectations.
