Elizabeth’s Encrier: Is Pride Necessarily One of the Seven Deadly Sins?

Pride is a puzzling emotion.  While pride might be one’s failing, pride can also add purpose to one’s life. The peacock’s pride does not necessarily end in pain, for pride comes in a multitude of forms. Suffice to say, it is foolish to think that pride is merely a human fault and the inevitable cause of the individual’s downfall. What is more noteworthy and interesting to debate is – “what is the function of pride?”

Is being proud a thoughtless action? While some would naturally assume this is the case, I prefer to see it differently. Pride takes on many guises, one of which would be the assertion of self-worth. Some genuinely believe that possessing a high opinion of themselves would invite a corresponding degree of respect for them. Such an assertion of self-worth is especially evident in children. For toddlers, playing with building blocks is a common pastime and being able to build the tallest tower would arouse their pride and send them running to seek compliments and approval from their parents.

Pride is also a form of self-assurance that one is in control. Being prideful in this sense would be to show disregard for others who try and undermine their self-worth. When interacting with others, people do have some measure of pride when they retort and judge what others say.  In a sense, pride is an instrument that enables one to exert power and influence over others. That, in essence, is one of the functions of pride.

 However, pride also means to lord over others. “He does not have that shiny toy, that newest novel, that cool gadget, that sporty car, that luxurious apartment – but I do.” Because of their pride, some people find cause to elevate themselves and place others beneath them. This form of pride in their material possessions is equivalent to vanity.

Yet, all that is pride is not wholly a sin. Having pride in one’s work goes a long way in ensuring that the end results are one of quality. Luxury watches are made with utmost pride and precision to produce the perfect timepieces. These, in turn, are regarded as priceless and can serve their purpose for a long time. Similarly, when applied in the context of a student’s academic life, having pride in one’s assignments would mean that every piece of work is done with meticulous care so that greater credit can be achieved. In this context, pride is a positive driving force that propels us towards excellence.

Having pride in one’s country is equally desirable. In international sporting events, it is of importance that the participants have pride in their country. In this way, they are spurred on to do their best so as to bring glory to their country. Pride in this sense is nothing to feel contemptuous about.

Pride is an ambiguous attribute. It lies in the heart of the individual to decide what they want to do with it. So remember, pride pervades through our society; we should not avoid it but instead take it by the horns and tame it so that it becomes an obedient pet that brings about good rather than evil.