“Rather vain of us, wasn’t it?” (Chapter 4)
The word vanity come from the Latin word vānus, which means not only ‘empty’ but ‘deceptive’. Vanity—self-regard—is self-deception. A form of vanity I have succumbed to: the belief I am entitled to an elevated position, above others, plus the effort to climb a ladder to achieve that position, masked as ‘ambition’ or the quest for ‘security’.
The deception: there is nothing at the top of the ladder, except more ladder. The ladder does not lead to anything. It leads away from reality and away from my true self, which is simply one of the world.