Maintaining personal dignity

Description

Maintaining personal dignity involves consistently upholding self-respect and self-worth in all circumstances, especially when facing adversity, discrimination, or humiliation. This strategy requires setting clear personal boundaries, asserting one’s rights calmly, and seeking support when necessary. Its practical intent is to counteract dehumanization, exploitation, or marginalization by empowering individuals to protect their integrity, make autonomous choices, and demand fair treatment, thereby fostering resilience and social respect.

Claim

Human dignity is the external expression of an internal state of self-worth. There is so much in this world that contradicts the notion of self-worth that people are in danger of losing its essence and meaning. Self-worth can help individuals avoid, on the one hand, fatalistic self-victimization and, on the other, become the prisoners of ephemeral achievements. If people identify more with their external conditions or roles they will inevitably feel inferior or superior to others and so lack an authentic self-respect. A person who is aware of what it means to be a human being will feel a natural right to live in dignity with all basic needs and human rights fulfilled. This awareness can give strength and hope to help overcome such indignities as unemployment, poverty and the loss of liberty or opportunities.