We have just gone through a flurry of elections these past few weeks. People who are willing to put their names forward to the electorate are to be commended. They are willing to submit to a variety of opinions regarding their views and character. Voters, and now citizens living under the elected leadership, must remember that no one is perfect. It is easy to sit back and criticize views and character. We need to rise above any form of aversion and constructively support those elected, despite their foibles, which we all have in our natures.
Foible means weakness in character or behaviour. Foible implies the minor flaws or shortcomings we all possess. The students admired the English teacher despite his foibles. Some believe that talent is always balanced by foible.
Coming from French in the 1600s, foible originally referred to the weakest part of a fencing sword, the portion between the middle and the pointed tip. The French source of foible is the old French term feble, which gives us feeble. The modern French term is faible, meaning weak.
It was not too long until foible morphed into not only weaknesses in blades of a fencing sword, but also to minor failings in character. Some people are more interested in passing comments to all on the personal foibles and conduct of celebrities than putting the best construction on everything. We have made an industry of gossiping about the foibles of people rather than promoting the positive values of their lives. The ancient church held certain people as saints for their pious work and character, despite their foibles. In fact, the Bible makes a point of sharing the foibles and even serious sins of the most revered figures of Scripture. This is to stress the need for all to come to the mercy of God.
Fault, failing, frailty, vice, and foible all mean an imperfection or weakness of character.
Fault implies a failure, not necessarily culpable, to reach some standard of perfection in personality, action or habit. She was admired for her many virtues and few faults.
Failing suggests a minor shortcoming in character. Always being late for things is a failing of many people.
Frailty means a general or chronic proneness to yield to temptation. According to Biblical history, frailty is the common condition common of all people after the Fall into sin in the garden of Eden.
Vice can be a general term for any imperfection or weakness, but often suggests violation of a moral code or the giving of offense to the moral sensibilities of others. His compulsive gambling was a vice he had a hard time controlling.
Foible applies to a harmless or endearing weakness or idiosyncrasy. The new Matlock TV series continues the theory that eccentric foibles can disarm defenses that ultimately lead to the truth, similar to the original Matlock (starring Andy Griffith) and Columbo (starring Peter Falk).
There are some deep divisions among candidates for elected office in the areas of social issues, taxation, and the path to future growth. It is sad when foibles are used as an attack to discredit people, rather than a real debate of various issues. Sometimes the cited foibles are not even true.
It makes me wonder, whatever happened to the 8th commandment, ‘You shall not give false testimony against your neighbour.’ I learned that commandment to mean, ‘We do not tell lies about our neighbour, betray, slander or hurt their reputation, but defend, speak well of them, and explain everything in the kindest way.’
Foibles are common to all humanity. Let’s give people a chance and the benefit of doubt.
