Pride Month

Pride causes more failure than laziness does.

‘Pride’ is a strange word in the English language because it is semantically overloaded. That means that it has multiple meanings, which are simultaneously overlapping and divergent. Naturally, this can lead to confusion and ambiguity.

There are at least three definitions of ‘pride’ that are commonly understood. Two are generally perceived as positive, whilst one is considered negative.

For the purpose of clarity, let’s call them Pride 1, Pride 2, and Pride 3.

The definitions below are courtesy of the Merriam-Webster dictionary:

Pride 1: Reasonable self-esteem. Confidence and satisfaction in oneself. [positive]

Pride 2: Pleasure that comes from some relationship, association, achievement, or possession that is seen as a source of honour or respect. [positive]

Pride 3: Exaggerated self-esteem. Conceit. [negative]

Pride 1 and Pride 2 can easily morph into Pride 3 in the absence of a healthy dose of humility.

I believe that we should all have a reasonable sense of self-esteem and self-worth. After all, we are human beings made in the image of God, inherently worthy of dignity.

Pride 1 allows us to speak and act with confidence and Pride 2 allows us to feel pleasure in our identity and accomplishments. These positive forms of pride mean we can feel comfortable in our own skin, take care of ourselves, and feel good about helping others.

But there is also a reason why ‘pride’ is one of the Seven Deadly Sins, and often considered the worst of all. This is Pride 3.

I am sure you’ve heard the saying, “Pride comes before the fall”. This is a popular paraphrasing of the Biblical quote from Proverbs:

“Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.”

- Proverbs 16:18, KJV

This form of pride can be indistinguishable from stupidity because it prevents people from learning new information and renders them incapable of changing their mind. When consumed by this type of pride, individuals (and groups) will double and triple down on being wrong, even when the consequences are severe.

For this reason, I believe that pride is a more common source of long-term failure than laziness is. And a lot of laziness has pride at its core.

A prideful man cannot grow or learn because he is certain that he is already all he can be, and possesses all the knowledge he needs to know.