The Obvious Objection

Arrogance. That's the obvious objection. Overconfidence.

First, I believe the term "overconfidence" to be nonsense. You can no more be overconfident than you can be over-healthy, or over-accurate in your arithmetic. It is only possible to be "overconfident" in the sense of being mistaken, to underestimate the power of the opposition, as the South did in the Civil War.

As far as arrogance, it is not overconfidence. It is not confidence. It is insecurity trying to pass itself off as confidence. It is a lie.

Have you met truly self-assured people? I have. The mark of confidence is that the one who possesses it doesn't think about him/herself too much. In fact the confident person thinks of self as seldom as possible. When you meet a confident person, that person will want to talk about you. You will enjoy that person's company because that person enjoys yours. You will enjoy that person's company because you sense that person isn't out to get something from you. That person puts you at ease because that person doesn't need you. You will not feel put upon. You will not feel tired out from the conversation. You will feel energized. You will be tempted to glom on to the confident one, as one possessed of some kind of magic you want. You will probably not recognize the magic as confidence. But you will want it.

Ask yourself why would a self-possessed, self-assured, self-confident person drink to excess? Why do drugs? Why frequent pornography? Or prostitution? Or gambling? Why hurt people in any fashion? What would the self-confident need with such crutches?

No the antidote to arrogance is not punishment and berating. The antidote is encouragement, as early as possible. Children need correction. Once in a while, they need to be punished. But, as John Wesley admonished his preachers, "Preach ten words of grace for every word of judgment."