Sin of the Day: Pride

Today marks the last of the seven deadly sins and by far the most important in mind mind: pride.

Pride; the pleasure taken in personal achievements. The quality in human beings that bestows self-confidence, self-worth and what is colloquially considered to be dignity. 

I have never met a person who was proud and boring at the same time; those filled with pride may be jerks, arrogant, misanthropic, self-righteous, angry and possessing any number of other failings.

Most people typically have one talent or skill that they have great faith in and raises their levels of self-esteem. Arrogance is when people have undeserved and overwhelming confidence in themselves for this one thing; anyone who actually deserves to be as ascerbic as they are is entirely frustrating as they DO deserve to be that way; their excellence excuses their poor behaviour.

British pride tends to be along the lines of being self-reliant and stoic. American pride originates in a strong sense of nationalism. French pride is for prats who are taking credit for the culinary achievements of people from centuries ago. Australian pride comes from being laissez-faire, relaxed and easy-going. Chinese pride comes from appearances, looking like you are wealthy; this type of pride agitates me as it crumbles away to nothing when you are by yourself. They'd be better off having a type of self-worth that doesn't come from social recognition.

Hubris is synonymous with underestimation; as in you are overly confident in your own abilities so much so that you think little of your opponent. Hubris leads necessarily to defeat.

Pride is one of the unique sins like envy, in that it is in no way connected to base instincts or desires. Pride is a good thing though, unlike the others which are neither good nor bad; pride makes you do things. A man filled with pride won't sit idle - he'll accomplish his goals, kick asses and take liberties. He'll get arrested and build cars. 

Men are men because of pride. One who doesn't possess pride lives a life that has no worth, no meaning and no purpose.

Those wracked with doubt have trouble finding something to take pride in; I think the greatest aspects to take pride in aren't skills or talents at all - they are states of mind. 

An open mind is infinitely more powerful than a closed fist.