Pride

Pride may be one of the seven deadly sins, but we do not respect someone who has no pride.  A paradox of confused thinking because another name for pride is self respect. 

When pride is arrogant, overbearing and haughty it is an unpleasant trait, yet when someone has done a good job, particularly in difficult circumstances, they are entitled to be proud of their work, only someone mean would deny them that. 

Pride is what gets us through times of humiliation.  The times when we are reduced to tears which would add to our shame, but pride helps us to hold on long enough to maintain our dignity. 

It’s curious that our society feels that being able to say with pride, I can do that, is something boastful. More than ever we need individuals who are confident in what they can do and who know what they cannot do. Knowing what our limitations are is important and not shameful.

Being without pride means having no confidence, no respect from the world, no dignity and when we look at the parts of the world where people suffer from those lacks we feel sad and relieved that we are not there. 

The problem with pride is the length to which some people go to demonstrate it. It’s part of the malaise of the modern world; part of the need to have more material things, to show the world our worth by the value of the things we own, and in the process hide our insecurities and lack of self worth with boastful pride. While we all need an element of selfishness to survive, it is when that selfishness becomes distorted by greed which refuses to see the needs of others; by the myths that infect the financial world at the moment that cannot see that living in debt is not really riches because until goods and property are paid for they are owned by the lenders of money. This distorted perception is ensuring future generations will be saddled with impossible debts. Not only money debts but limitations put on how they can live because we have exploited all the resources frivolously.

Families are embarrassed to say they are proud of their successful offspring, children who have worked hard to achieve good academic qualifications or professional skills. This is sad because part of the reward to such efforts deserve to be greeted with ‘I’m proud of you’.

Pride is a great motivator.  The need to make someone proud of us ensures many put more effort into their activities.  As long as pride is not forced on others but is part of our survival strategy it is a useful habit.