The Quiet Violence of Pride

 

From a young age we are taught that pride is a virtue. We hear it everywhere, be proud of who you are, where you come from or what you belong to. It is often seen as a sign of strength, self respect and confidence. Be proud of your nation, your language, your school, your religion, your family- the list goes on. But beneath this positive message lies an unspoken reality.

At its core pride often goes beyond appreciation. It is not just about valuing what you have but about elevating it above everything else. Think about it this way, When you say you are proud to be Indian, it may start as a simple love for country but it can easily turn into seeing other countries as lesser. If you are proud to be South Indian, it can lead to looking down on people from the North. If you are proud to be Tamilian, you may find yourself feeling superior to speakers of other languages. 

The same mentality seeps into other areas of life as well. If you are proud of your school or college, you may unconsciously see other educational institutions as inferior. If you are a first ranker, you may look down on the second ranker. Pride in one’s profession can also lead to thinking lower of those who choose different professions. If you are a proud man, you might feel women are inferior. This is not limited to major aspects of life but even in small things, such as feeling superior for having a better car, better clothes or better anything.

What starts as a simple feeling of pride quickly changes into the creation of barriers that separate “us” from “them". Pride is often rooted in comparison. When it shifts towards feeling superior to others, it subtly creates divisions that reinforces forms of discrimination that goes unnoticed. People may claim to be progressive and fight for equality but in personal lives pride often shapes judgments and biases, sometimes without even them realizing it.

Any form of pride ultimately creates discrimination. Even pride in being human can make us overlook the value of other living beings, causing us to view ourselves superior to animals and other forms of life. It is not always obvious or aggressive but sometimes it is a quiet invisible form of bias that shapes how we view others. We convince ourselves that our pride is harmless maybe even righteous. But in reality it creates a mindset where others are seen as lesser. 

So the next time when you are encouraged to be proud, Ask yourself whether that pride is truly about appreciating what you have or if it is becoming a way to look down on others. Because in the end any form of pride is wrong. It draws lines where there should be none.