Phrases such as "I'm proud to be Black/White/British/Gay/" and many more, are wrong and annoy me. Those are conditions that were not chosen, nor gained through effort.
One can be proud to be an athlete, an artist, a parent, for to achieve those qualities effort and sacrifice are required.
One can't be proud of something not worked for.
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| Singer Heather Small has the right idea |
I'm not proud to be Portuguese, I'm just happy with it.
But I'm proud to be a good father, a singer/musician, and an atheist - all achieved through hard graft.
Yes, that's why I never say I'm proud to be a gorilla. Did you have to work hard to be an atheist? I hope there isn't an Inquisition in Portugal!
ReplyDeleteHahah GB, so...gorillas are not into this pride thing? Good for you. I did have to work hard at being an atheist - many hours thinking and studying were necessary in order to leave my childhood indoctrination behind. No, no inquisition in Portugal - at least not at the moment :)
DeleteMaybe people who are "proud" to be born into a certain groups thinks that God put them there in the first place due to their abundant virtue.
ReplyDeleteHahaha, i've met some of those , Snow
DeleteExactly! I never understood why someone would be proud about the color of their skin. It's not like anyone has any say over it. It's a simple roll of the dice. Nature made us all slightly different in an effort to keep one thing from being able to kill us all. Such is the strength of diversity. Genetically speaking, there are more ways to put together a human being, than there are human beings. The first colonists on Mars will be human. But generations later, that world will have made them her own, and they will be Martian.
ReplyDeleteSomeone once asked me why I wasn't concerned about white people becoming a minority in the U.S. After quelling the urge to do him physical harm, I explained that my concern was reserved for the species as a whole.
I agree with you Michael, indeed such is the strength of diversity.
DeleteHave to say I'm more proud of others than anything I've done or achieved. My daughter Clare is one I'm so proud of because she has given me a beautiful granddaughter and a wonderful grandson and battled against some awful illnesses with such great strength and determination. When she was diagnosed three years ago, at age 34, with a brain tumour, and then the onset of epilepsy she was more concerned about how this affected others, not herself. She works hard and never complains about her life.
ReplyDeleteThe feeling of pride in OTHERS often brings a tear, or a flood of tears sometimes. When I witness the efforts of somebody giving their all, sometimes against the odds, I get very emotional - even if they fail.
I've nothing to be ashamed of but, compared to so many others, nothing to be especially proud of apart from serving in the RAF, raising a family and still standing up to life as I near 80.
I'm glad your daughter has pulled through her awful illness, Philip. And yes, you should be proud of what you are proud of, for they were achievements worthy of pride :)
DeleteInteresting take. I am inclined to agree. I think being proud has to involved an accomplishment and not something you're born with.
ReplyDeleteThanks Keith :)
DeleteCan we also add the words "hero" and "tragedy" to the list?!
ReplyDeletePearl
Pearl, thank you for giving me a topic for the next post - I agree :)
DeleteI'm quite pleased to have found your blog...
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome NB and thank you for dropping by :)
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