At what point does pride become a bad thing?

dlowan, I avoid commitment like the plague. I have pets, a job, a place to live. But, I don't go after the career, or the guy....

And how do you think that might relate to pride? Not being sure if a career/fella is good enough?

Not being sure you are good enough for the career/fella?

Too proud to try, and fall flat on your face?

Just enjoy a freer life?

No worries, Deb.....just know how much Craven loves a good battle.

dl - Mostly the second and fourth. I tend to be hard on myself. I think that my house is the messiest, my job is the lamest, why would a guy want to get involved with me? I don't think I'm a bad person (actually, I like me for who I am), but I'm not living up to my own harsh standards. I fear that everyone else in the world will judge me superficially. As to career, I like the serial jobs of various experience, but it's no career and there's no retirement. What about a career am I avoiding? Maybe freedom, maybe success. I've never understood fear of success, but I'm not afraid of failing.

dlowan - i think you hit 3 great options there - all possible at once.

and then on my web search on the subject, i found out that you can't practice white magic properly if you are prideful - apparently it prevents proper group formation as is required for the successful practice of white magic. The things we learn each day ...

Dammit, that's been what's off with my magic <grin>.

LOL, Rae - actually I think I secretly and sort of raggedly, with lots of holes like a swiss cheese, have a bit in common with Craven on the pride thing - but yes, he enjoys battles a lot.

Lash has again high-lighted the negative aspects of pride.

I guess I am arguing for a sort of dialectic between the two major aspects - a middle way - where informed, clear-eyed and appropriate pride motivates and sustains us. There will always be tension and a possibility of too much/too little.

My (Australian) culture has a real problem with pride. We are very critical of people who display any - very quickly say people are "up themselves" and want to cut them down. We find compliments hard to deal with, and politely down-rate ourselves. I wonder if that makes it more likely we will not know how to handle good feelings about our achievements well, and turn into arrogant turds easily? Dunno.

I'm going to bed after this, I swear.....

littlek ~ you are a beautiful person.....inside and out. I'm happy to 'know' you.

Aw, thanks Rae! You too!

dlowan, I am self-depricating, I don't display pride, I have a hard time taking compliments (though I am trying to do so). The pride thing is deeper. Or it's not pride that's tripping me up.

Indeed ... and I have no way of making an intelligent comment on that one!

and isn't this an interesting link ...... the interesting link ...

we've talked about this somewhere else, and now it comes back to haunt us on the 'pride' thread

omigawd, I swear it wasn't me! How funny Beth. Going back to read more.

dlowan, no need to make intelligent comments, just babble like the rest of us!

Hmmm, she makes some good points. I like the peacock analogy.

i did a google search with the words

too proud to

(i was trying to figure out what pride might prevent people from doing)

interesting results - a bunch of song lyrics and some thought-provoking articles

It's not that you can't flirt, you 're too proud to!

that is it Beth. I DO want guys to like me for my personality and smarts alone. Very weird.

well L'k I used too......

used to what, Husker?

I guess I should side-line and listen for a while. I guess I see pride as a stubborn, hardy weed in a garden.
It grows bigger and better than the flowers we work so hard to cultivate.

Maybe, some see pride as something to be celebrated.

I see it as something that has to be watched carefully, and plucked back pretty frequently.

I'm guessing each person has a different reality with their pride.

Pride can be either good or bad. It depends on the definition, what lay's in your heart. It also lay's in your'e mind which through either both (Honestly). The mind or the heart you are bound to get hurt all the way from emmotionally to physically.
Unless.... You learn how to tell the difference between egotistical pride, or respect/love pride of ones self enough to share it with another. P

PRIDE has made me almost explode before... Sorry still in search. I am very human read Kant's "Critque For Pure Judgement". I know it has been proven innefective, though it speaks of pride and consience.

littletek.... PLEASE do not take this the wrong way, I understand. I wish to send you a copy of some of my non-published writting if interested.
You know it is quite ironic I just got done talking about the human heart. Which drives ones soul. BASICIALLY I WISH YOU THE BEST AND THE SAME FOR ME....
Nothing weird in the last of your'e posts unless. You still view normal as normal?