Vanity is the awareness of this inner sense of superiority.

One of its first symptoms is to blind an individual to its presence.

Another symptom is to increase our awareness of vanity in others while providing us with a false and inflated sense of our modesty and humility.

Vanity always requires an audience, even if it is only ourselves.

It leads to self-justification, with our false personalities trying to defend themselves as highly worthy.

It prompts much of what we discuss with others and directs excessive actions and activities.

For some people, what they consider generosity may only be the vanity of giving, as real generosity does not expect repayment in any form.

Several attributes can cause this consciousness of superiority.

People feel joy seeing their possessions, physical prowess, or family ties, and their pride may cause them to look down on others.

Women feel proud of their beauty, and the passage of time usually provides a self-confrontation with a different appearance.

Religious devotion can produce admiration and praise and a sense of increased respect.

But this inner satisfaction can develop into a sense of superiority and being favored if permitted.

Knowledge can nurture vanity because knowledge is power.

Awareness of this power through knowledge quickly corrodes a person who then smugly considers himself superior.

This inner state can occur because of a false notion about the nature of objective knowledge: the mistaken belief that proficiency in mathematics, arts, sciences, and literature makes a man more perfect.

Actual knowledge means removing the veil from in front of the mind to see the proper relationship between ourselves and our Creator. This relationship produces humility and an appreciation of the humanity in each of us.

How do vanity and pride interact?

Vanity deals with appearance, while pride can reflect reality.

Aristotle uses the scales of worthiness to measure the two.

If one is worthy, pride is appropriate, but prideful actions in an unworthy person reflect vanity.

We have our versions of pride and vanity and must observe them within ourselves.

These internal self-observations can help our emotional management, conscious development, and appreciation of the subtle interactions between these internal processes.

For example, suppose your pride may make you feel awkward when complimented, but your vanity is delighted.

One may be vain of what one does or has but proud of who they are.