TCI, a Prideful nation, but is it helping or hindering?
Whilst it’s great to have self-pride and confident, it’s easy to take it too far.
Is it time to adjust our mindset and behavior so that we can reel in the self-pride and let go of our ego?
The premise of this article is to spark some needed dialogue on how we as a nation can turn our pride into purpose and become a more balanced and understanding society.
It is my belief, this will help to move our country forward, not only for ourselves, but for others as well as the next generation.
There is a good, bad and the ugly side that comes along with self-pride. First, we have got to learn that admitting you’re wrong is not a weakness—it’s simply a part of being human instead of jumping to defensiveness.
Don’t be so quick to follow your instincts, which is to defend. Try taking a few deep breaths, we can Agree—to Disagree. Too often, we fail to take the time to learn from the person we are engaging with, instead, we try to showcase ourselves.
It’s ok to be quiet sometimes and help celebrate the success of others. You don’t have to be the loudest person in the room to get your point across. Pride makes you self-conscious, as a result, you’re less likely to say or do anything that will upset your status.
Like many other cultures, some of us struggle with admitting our shortcomings. Oftentimes, we would compare ourselves with others and always searching for ways to rationalize that we are better than others, or, is quick to tout we have been there, done that mentality.
As a prideful person, unconsciously, you may tie your self-worth to what you have or what you’ve done. We should be mindful that the healthiest form of self-worth, is connected to who you are as a person and not reliant on appearances, achievements or belongings.
What’s disheartening at times in our culture, is how difficult it is for us to have a sensible conversation without an argument. We have got to learn how to overcome pride by admitting that we don’t have all the answers, no matter how educated you are.
Author Stephen R Covertly said it best, “The biggest communication problem is we do not listen to understand. We listen to reply”.
Sometimes, it’s okay to say “I don’t know the answer without telling a story. Try having the courage to ask questions to expand our thinking.
From my observation, at times, we could be dying inside or need help, but because of our pride we will refuse to seek help. This is primarily for fear of what our neighbors might think or say, because in our minds, it’s all about outward appearances.
Pride prevents us from acknowledging our human vulnerabilities. We tend to see this behavior more often among some with a higher level of education or in position of authority. If it’s not their idea, it’s tossed aside. This is the sentiment expressed from many bright members on committees assigned by the government and statutory bodies.
It’s time to put pride aside in order for the country to move forward.
This shame-driven pride makes us too uncomfortable to say, “I’m sorry, I was wrong, I made a mistake.” When pride rules, we believe we’re always right. This makes it difficult to maintain and sustain relationships; nobody likes being with or working with a know-it-all, which could also be hindering us as a developing nation.
On the contrary, we seem to have lost our sense of pride and morality when it comes to standing up for the most vulnerable in our communities, our youth. It’s evident with respect to the senseless violence we are experiencing against one another. At what point are we willing to stand on our principles and fight for what we believe in.
In order for TCI to move forward and compete in this ever-changing world, we cannot let self pride affect our attitudes and find ways to build back a nation that is founded on morality and the values we all share.
Ed Forbes
Concerned Citizen
