Pride

Pride is the name of an emotion which refers to a strong sense of self-respect, a refusal to be humiliated as well as joy in the accomplishments of oneself or a person, group, nation or object that one identifies with. To think of self higher than anyone and everyone else. It is considered one of the seven deadly sins. According to the Concise Oxford Dictionary, Proud comes from late Old English prud, probably from Old French prude "brave, valiant" (11th century), from Latin prode "advantageous, profitable", from prodesse "be useful". The sense of "having a high opinion of oneself", not in French, may reflect the Anglo-Saxons' opinion of the Norman knights who called themselves "proud", like the French knights preux.

Religious References

 * Many major religions, using Pride in the sense of hubris or arrogance, denounce it - the phrase "Pride goes before a fall" is a paraphrase of a passage from the book of Proverbs, in the Old Testament. Many more verses of the Tanakh/Old Testament speak of Pride and arrogance. "Blessed is that man that makes the Lord his trust, and looks not to the proud, nor to those that turn aside to lies." (Psalm 40:5) "Talk no more exceeding proudly, nor let arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the Lord is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed." (I Sam. 2:3)


 * In Christianity, Pride (also Vanity or arrogance) is the essentially competitive and excessive belief in one's own abilities that interferes with the individual's recognition of the grace of God, or the worth which God sees in others; for example: "In his Pride the wicked does not seek Him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God." (Psalm 10:4) Pride is also one of the 7 deadly sins.(Pride, envy, lust, wrath, sloth, gluttony and greed)
 * According to Sebastian Michaelis, humans are seduced by Pride by the great demon Belial, who is also known as The Lord of Arrogance.
 * Saint Thomas Aquinas wrote that "inordinate self-love is the cause of every sin."
 * Pride is listed as one of the Seven Deadly Sins, alternately named Superbia.


 * In Hinduism, Ravana, an evil king who was killed by Rama, avatar of Vishnu, exhibited the sins of Pride and Lust.


 * In Islam, Pride is also forbidden. According to a narration from Muhammad, he said: "He in whose heart there is as much as a grain of arrogance will not enter paradise," and a man remarked: "A man likes his garment to be beautiful and his sandals to be beautiful." Then Muhammad replied: "God, Most High, is beautiful and likes beauty; arrogance is disdaining what is true and despising people." (Sahih Muslim).


 * In Taoism, according to the Tao Te Ching, Pride and Greed are human errors.

Social References
In Germany "national pride" ("Nationalstolz") is often associated with the former Nazi regime. Strong displays of national pride are therefore considered poor taste by many Germans. There is an ongoing public debate about the issue of German patriotism. The World Cup in 2006, held in Germany, saw a wave of patriotism sweep the country in a manner not seen for many years. Although many were hesitant to show such blatant support as the hanging of the national flag from windows, as the team progressed through the tournament, so too did the level of support across the nation. By the time the semi-final against Italy came around, the level of national pride and unity was at its highest throughout the tournament, and the hosting of the World Cup is seen to have been a great success for Germany as a nation.

Secondary pride is a little-known but often felt variant of pride. The pride people feel for what their ancestors, children, or country has done is classified as secondary or vicarious pride.

The national motto of the United States Virgin Islands is "United in Pride and Hope".

The well-known English maxim, "Pride goes before a fall," is itself an adaptation of Proverbs 16:18.

Popular Culture

 * In the horror movie Se7en, the sin of Pride was gruesomely depicted in one of a set of murders by a serial killer.


 * Pride has been personified in multiple Japanese manga and anime, most notably as a fallen angel in Angel Sanctuary and a homunculus in Fullmetal Alchemist.


 * Pride also was personified in the television series Supernatural as one of the 7 deadly sins escaped from Hell.