COMMENTARY:
If pride is a sin, is the lack of it a virtue?
“Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall,” Proverbs 16:18.
With our nation’s 250th anniversary celebration this year, there’s been a lot of discussion about national pride, and how it’s not the same this time as when we celebrated our bicentennial in 1976.
A recent poll by The Associated Press found that only about 40 percent of adults surveyed said they feel proud about the country’s 250th anniversary. Only about 30 percent said they are excited about this landmark event.
Like everything else in America these days, those numbers are influenced by the current president. Far more Republicans expressed pride in the country than Democrats and Independents.
“The proud person always wants to do the right thing, the great thing. But because he wants to do it in his own strength, he is fighting not with man, but with God.” - Soren A. Kierkegaard.
The decline in national pride precedes the current administration. That shows up in the polling demographics, with about 60 percent of those age 60 and older still saying they are proud this anniversary year. It’s the younger Americans who aren’t so sure. That’s probably because they’re better informed.
The American history I was taught in school held that our nation was always in the right and our actions were always just and fair. There were villains and bad guys, of course, but they were always vanquished. A new hero was introduced with every turn of the page. Who wouldn’t be proud of that?
The Declaration of Independence that we honor this year not only ignored slavery in claiming “all men are created equal;” it also referred to Native Americans as, “merciless native savages.”
“A proud man is always looking down on things and people, and, of course, as long as you are looking down, you cannot see anything that is above you.” - C.S. Lewis.
Most Americans will read the recent news stories about the decline of national pride and see it as further evidence of a nation in decline. I disagree. If a false bravado based on lies and inaccuracies is slowly being replaced by a more honest view of both our past and present, that’s a positive change.
Pride is a dangerous thing. There’s a reason why it’s the first of the seven deadly sins. Wounded pride has been responsible for some of mankind's greatest calamities.
“All men make mistakes, but a good man yields when he knows his course is wrong, and repairs the evil. The only crime is pride.” - Sophocles, Antigone.
There’s a difference between self-pride and pride in others. Parents should be proud of their children. We should all take pride in the accomplishments of friends and family.
But when it comes to national pride, that has to be tempered by honest reflection. I appreciate that living in America has given me opportunities those in other nations will never experience. I am grateful for that. But I’m not always proud of who we are and what we stand for.
It’s OK if our feelings about the country aren’t as warm and fuzzy for this celebration as they were for the last one. We’re living in complicated times.
“I don’t wanna brag, but no other president can do some of the things I’m doing. The things I’m doing, nobody else was gonna do except me. Everybody knows this and that is why I am the best president ever,” - Donald Trump.
Walter Rubel can be reached at waltrubel@gmail.com
Walt Rubel's opinions are his own and do not necessarily reflect the views of KRWG Public Media or NMSU.