The Deadly Sins Of Vanity: Exploring The Seven Vices

The seven deadly sins, also known as the capital or cardinal sins, are a classification of major vices within the teachings of Christianity. They are pride, greed, wrath, envy, lust, gluttony, and sloth. Vanity is often included within the sin of pride, but some scholars, including the concept's originator Evagrius Ponticus, kept it separate due to its difference from pride's lust for power and dominion. Vanity refers to excessive self-love and/or an excessive desire to be loved, admired, or recognised by others. If vanity grows uninhibited, one seeks to become the central focus of attention in others' lives. If allowed to reach its 'fulfillment', it leads to a self-idolatry that replaces God and family.

Vanity is a sin of self-love and the desire to be loved, admired, and recognised by others

Vanity is often considered a sin of self-love and the desire to be loved, admired, and recognised by others. This excessive self-love and desire for admiration can lead to a person becoming overly focused on themselves and their image, seeking to be the central focus of attention in others' lives.

In its modern sense, vanity is considered a form of self-idolatry, where one places oneself above others and even God, believing that one deserves to be admired due to their perceived superior qualities. This belief in one's superiority can lead to a person becoming arrogant and narcissistic, obsessed with their appearance, status, or talents.

The desire to be admired and recognised can also stem from a lack of confidence and self-love. In this case, vanity can serve as a mask, hiding a person's true sensitive and vulnerable self. By projecting an image of excessive self-love, the individual seeks to protect themselves from feeling inadequate. However, this behaviour can drive others away, leading to loneliness and further feelings of inadequacy.

In Christian teachings, vanity is often included as an example of pride, one of the seven deadly sins. However, some scholars differentiate between vanity and pride, noting that while they share a common cause in ego-centricity, their effects and manifestations differ. Pride, or "hyperēphania" in Ancient Greek, is considered the lust for power and dominion, while vanity is the desire to be recognised and admired.

The negative consequences of vanity are explored in various literary works, such as Ovid's "Metamorphoses", Oscar Wilde's "The Picture of Dorian Gray", and C.S. Lewis' "The Great Divorce". These works illustrate how vanity can lead to self-destruction, loneliness, and a disconnect from one's true self and others.

Vanity is a form of 'empty glory' or 'vainglory', where one believes they deserve admiration for their perceived superior qualities

Vanity is often included within the deadly sin of pride, but some scholars, including Evagrius Ponticus, the fourth-century originator of the seven deadly sins, kept them separate. While the two have the same root cause—ego-centricity—their effects and manifestations differ. "Vanity" generally refers to an excessive desire to be loved, admired, or recognised by others. If this desire goes unchecked, it can lead to a form of self-idolatry that replaces God and family.

In the Bible, the English word "vanity" often means "futility", but this is not what was intended in the original lists of the deadly sins. Instead, scholars meant "vainglory", or "empty glory". This is a belief that one deserves admiration and awe for perceived superior qualities, such as beauty, status, or talent. The New Testament Greek for this is "kenodoxia", which literally means "empty glory". If glory is the object of admiration and awe, then vainglory is the belief that one is admired for a false reason—that is, for an empty reason.

As with other deadly sins, vanity has an addictive quality that compels its victims to seek greater and more rapid fulfilment. This can strain even the most beautiful and popular individuals.

Vanity is an addictive quality that compels its victims to seek greater and more rapid fulfilment

Vanity is often included within the deadly sin of pride, but some scholars, including the concept's originator, Evagrius Ponticus, kept it separate due to its differences from pride's lust for power and dominion. Vanity refers to excessive self-love and/or an excessive desire to be loved, admired, or recognised by others. It is an undue pride in oneself, an inflated assessment of one's virtues.

As with other deadly sins, vanity can become an addiction that impels its victims to seek greater and more rapid fulfilment until it strains the limits of even the most beautiful and popular individuals. Vanity can be seen in the classical literature character of Narcissus, who fell deeply in love with the image of his reflection and lost interest in all other dimensions of life. The word 'narcissistic' comes from this myth.

In the Bible, the English word 'vanity' frequently means 'futility' (i.e. transitoriness, passing away, or fading away). This is not what scholars intended in the original lists of the Deadly Sins. They meant 'vainglory', as described above. Vanity can also distort a person's spiritual life, twisting prayer from contemplation and praise of God to simply thinking about oneself in His presence.

Vanity is the outward manifestation of pride's interior rot

Vanity is often included within the deadly sin of pride. However, vanity is distinct from pride, which is a lust for power and dominion. Vanity is excessive self-love and an excessive desire to be loved, admired, or recognised by others. It is the inordinate desire for external glory—the redirection of a good desire to empty things.

The antidote to pride is humility, which is an honest estimation of oneself, in accord with the truth. The humble man still desires excellence, but he does so with a realistic understanding of his limitations and flaws. He knows how to put down the mirror and pick up the rosary. Vanity, on the other hand, is an addictive quality that impels its victims to seek greater and more rapid fulfilment until it strains the limits of even the most beautiful and popular individuals.

Vanity can be combated with the virtue of modesty, which seeks proper decorum and comportment

Vanity is one of the seven deadly sins in Roman Catholicism, which also include pride, greed, wrath, envy, lust, gluttony, and sloth. It is considered the outward manifestation of pride's interior rot. Vanity is the inordinate desire for external glory—the redirection of a good desire to empty or vain things.

Decorum refers to propriety and good taste in conduct or appearance. It is the state or condition of being calm, orderly, and well-regulated. Comportment, meanwhile, is a person's manner of conducting themselves, or how they "carry" themselves. It is behaving in a manner that conforms to what is right, proper, or expected.

By practising modesty, we can avoid the trap of vanity and instead focus on seeking glory for which we are created, rather than settling for false honours and empty glory. Modesty helps us to maintain proper decorum and comportment, ensuring that we do not push ourselves forward or seek attention, but rather strive for greatness in virtue.

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