Pride
PRIDE
Pride is the inordinate desire to excel. Pride springs from a self-love that is exclusive of others. There is a self-love that is legitimate, necessary, and even virtuous; such a love embraces others and recognizes and rejoices in whatever excellence they may have. In this sense a man can be proud of certain talents or achievements that are his, while still recognizing their relative value in line with the talents and achievements of others. He has a place in the universe of which he can be justly proud, but it is alongside others and under God and God's visible authority.
When man isolates self from God and the rest of humanity and makes self absolute or central, either ignoring all others or using them solely toward the achievement of his own private ends, he has the vice of pride. It is in this sense that pride is traditionally regarded as one of the seven capital sins and the queen of vices. It is a capital sin because it is a source or foundation for other sins, especially such sins as presumptuousness, which inclines the proud man to attempt what is beyond his powers; inordinate ambition, which is the inclination to aim at an honor and dignity beyond one's deserts or to use sinful means in the pursuit of them; and vainglory, which is the inordinate effort to manifest one's own excellence, real or fictitious. At the root of all such sins there is an
exaggerated love and concern for self that clouds one's knowledge and appreciation of the true self and the corresponding worth of others.
The malice of pride varies according to its degree or kind. There is, for instance, a pride that is satanic, that aims at withdrawing man from subjection to God and incites him to reject the commands of superiors. It breeds contempt for God and all authority and for every value and judgment that is not a man's very own. It is the father of all nihilistic thinking and acting. Such pride is, of course, most seriously sinful, and though rarely, if ever, starkly manifest, it nevertheless seems to be the undercurrent of much of present-day immorality. Wherever there is the tendency to debase and to level, to deny the relevance of God and of ethical values in the affairs of man, there is pride in its most grievous and satanic form.
Pride is less sinful when God and legitimate authority are not denied but simply disregarded at certain times. God's dominion, the authority in which it is manifest, and the worth of others are accepted, but still much is made of self unduly. For instance, a man may think he has gifts that in fact he has not, or he may unreasonably seek to be esteemed above others. Such cases of pride, though always harmful to a degree, are not generally seriously sinful, unless, of course, such pride causes grave injury to another or is such that a man is prepared to commit serious sin because of it.
Bibliography: d. von hildebrand, Christian Ethics (New York 1953). j. leclercq, Christ and the Modern Conscience, tr. r. matthews (New York 1962). b. hÄring, The Law of Christ: Moral Theology for Priests and Laity, tr. e. g. kaiser (Westminster, Md. 1961–) v. 1.
[s. f. parmisano]
pride
pride / prīd/ • n. 1. a feeling or deep pleasure or satisfaction derived from one's own achievements, the achievements of those with whom one is closely associated, or from qualities or possessions that are widely admired: the team was bursting with pride after recording a sensational victory a woman who takes great pride in her appearance. ∎ the consciousness of one's own dignity: he swallowed his pride and asked for help. ∎ the quality of having an excessively high opinion of oneself or one's importance: the sin of pride. ∎ a person or thing that is the object or source of a feeling or deep pleasure or satisfaction: the swimming pool is the pride of the community. ∎ poetic/lit. the best state or condition of something; the prime: in the pride of youth.2. a group of lions forming a social unit.• v. (pride oneself on/upon) be especially proud of a particular quality or skill: she'd always prided herself on her ability to deal with a crisis.PHRASES: one's pride and joy a person or thing of which one is very proud and which is a source of great pleasure: the car was his pride and joy.pride of place the most prominent or important position among a group of things: the certificate has pride of place on my wall.DERIVATIVES: pride·ful / -fəl/ adj.pride·ful·ly / -fəlē/ adv.
pride
pride feels no pain proverbial saying, early 17th century, implying that inordinate self-esteem will not allow the admission that one might be suffering.
pride goes before a fall proverbial saying, late 14th century, often with the implication that proud and haughty behaviour will contribute to its own downfall. Originally with biblical allusion to Proverbs 16:18, ‘Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall’.
a pride of lions a group of lions forming a social unit; the term is recorded in late Middle English, and was revived in the early 20th century.
pride of place in falconry, the high position from which a falcon or similar bird swoops down on its prey; the term is first recorded in Shakespeare's Macbeth (1606).
See also peacock in his pride.
Pride
Pride ★★½ 2007 (PG)
Yet another inspirational true sports flick. Jim Ellis (Howard) experiences racism as a black collegiate swimmer in the 1960s and the same problem when he tries to get a job coaching in the early '70s. He finally accepts work at a dismal Philly rec center that does have an unused pool (the kids prefer basketball). Jim decides to pull a team together, instilling discipline and a winning attitude in his kids. It's predictable and is more Hollywood than factual, but you can't fault the performances. 108m/C DVD . US Terrence Howard, Bernie Mac, Kimberly Elise, Tom Arnold, Alphonso McAuley, Nathaniel Parker, Kevin Phillips, Scott Reeves, Brandon Fobbs, Regine Nehy, Evan Ross, Gary Sturgis; D: Sunu Gonera; W: J. Mills Goodloe, Norman Vance Jr., Kevin Michael Smith, Michael Gozzard; C: Matthew F. Leonetti; M: Aaron Zigman.
pride
Hence pride vb. † be proud; show oneself proud. XIII.