Watching a summary of a soccer game for Norwich City football club I felt proud that my team won the game.
What do I gain if the Norwich City club won? Why did I feel proud?
I believe that resulted because of my great memories attached to my study there at the University Of East Anglia in Norwich and gaining my Ph.D. there.
The sweet memories make the joy of that city my own joy and the pride of that city my own. The feelings of belonging are still alive in me. No wonder then that parents feel proud of their kids’ achievements. The kids’ achievement is the parents’ one as well.
This invites another question; If I am proud of my achievement in Norwich City getting my Ph.D. there should the real pride be what I did with this degree?
To put it in other words, is pride the thermometer of our attachment to a human or place? The more attached we become the greater our pride shall be?
The real pride is not what you have. More, it is what you do with it
To have a Ph.D. and fail to produce is not living up to expectations. This is a big failure. What used to be a source of pride becomes a source of shame.
I dare say the opposite is true. When we have the sharp tools to act like a sharp sword would it not be a source of shame to act like a corroded sword?
The next question that comes to my mind is if we play down our achievements we lose the power of motivation they give us. But also we should not overdo it and stay modest.
Our materialistic world has polluted the meaning of pride in favor of faked or cosmetic pride. To wear expensive clothes, to have a brand watch and new and fashionable mobile phones are examples of showing off. Unfortunately, such materialistic items have become a reflection of our shallowness.
It is time to wake up.
Please share your thoughts.