Pride is something that the military uses as a mantra for nearly all actions in public; yet eliminates for so many things in private. This is true for fraternities, businesses, and other organizations as well. Take for example the idea that every soldier must "wear their uniform with pride," or people should "take pride in their work," and so on. However, at the same time, people must "swallow their pride and take orders," be humble and work with others, show respect for others, and do many other things that require shelving their pride.
Pride was a major factor in numerous tragedies throughout history including Nazism, religious wars, the fall of Rome, and so much more. So why do we value it so much?
Well, pride has also been extraordinarily beneficial in certain situations such as the accomplishments of women's suffrage, minority rights, booming industrial times, technological advances, and more. Pride gives people a reason to strive for greatness.
Some of the most honorable moments occur when people swallow their pride for the betterment of the group. McCain's great speech when he lost the election to Obama was a prime example of a man filled with pride who knew it was time to put that aside and congratulate the winner. He set a great example for everyone to follow in putting away pride and uniting our country. Even in a recent fraternity election, I saw young men who wanted so badly to win certain races fall short, but then step aside and work harder because they wanted to make the house better.
In my life, I've found that there are good times and bad to have pride. The hard thing is to know what time it is.
Posts
