TO HAVE PRIDE…
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Alright…so today I will be talking about a particularly complex concept. This topic was suggested by a new listener named Mitch. If you want to be like Mitch and send me your own topic suggestions just go to the website and find the CONTACT ALF button and send me a letter. Today, thanks to Mitch, we will be discussing pride.
I said pride was a complex issue…and it really is. The definition of pride varies widely. It is an inward directed emotion that is altogether separate from happiness or joy. It seems that pride has a good side, and a dark side when you approach it from the english language, and I suspect from others as well.
I never felt that pride was a negative myself. To me pride was always a positive word for some reason. Growing up I was proud of my family and my home. If I got a good grade at school or did something awesome on the little league field, I was proud of my accomplishments, and it felt good.
Then I was surprised to discover that pride is also considered a sin in some religious circles…Apparently that is even what got the devil kicked out of heaven. That creates quite a dichotomy in a young boys mind. I wondered how pride…the act of being proud, could ever be construed as something bad.
Turns out, there is another word…hubris. Hubris really encapsulates everything that is supposedly wrong with pride. It is the foolish and irrationally corrupt and inaccurate sense of one’s personal value, status or accomplishments.
Ok, we have all known someone like that who exhibits hubris, and may have even been guilty of it ourselves on occasion. The way I interpret it, when pride gets out of hand, when it transcends reality and leads to someone thinking more of them selves than they should…pride turns into hubris, and thats bad.
Lets forget about hubris for a minute and talk about the good part of pride. I think pride is an extremely useful emotion. I think it builds confidence in people.
