Humility was once an admired trait within our culture. My parents frowned on overt celebrations of self that belied a sense of humility and denigrated others. We could rejoice in a good report card, but unrestrained reveling in the defeat of a competitor was unbefitting.

Of course, that was then. My youth was too many years ago. In today’s “taking-care-of-number-one” culture, the celebration of self is ever-present. It can be witnessed in unscrupulous business practices, the fracturing of the family, the viciousness of social media, trash talk on the playing field and pretty much anywhere else we choose to turn.