“There is one vice of which no man in the world is free; which every one in the world loathes when he sees it in someone else; and of which hardly any people, except Christians, ever imagine that they are guilty themselves. […] There is no fault which makes a man more unpopular, and no fault which we are more unconscious of in ourselves. […] The vice I am talking of is Pride or Self-Conceit: and the virtue opposite to it, in Christian morals, is called Humility.”
― C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity
Pride, one of the seven cardinal sins depicted by the Roman Catholic Church, is known as one of the most, if not the most, deadliest sin out of all of the deadly sins. The sin of pride is very dangerous, as it is known to lead many astray and down towards the path of self-destruction. It is believed by many to be the root cause of all evil in the world. But why exactly is it deadly enough to become the worst of the seven cardinal sins? How exactly does pride lead mortal beings to their very destruction? How is it the root cause of all evil?
Before these questions can be answered however, the true meaning of pride must be understood first. What is pride? According to the Oxford English Dictionary, pride means “A high, esp. an excessively high, opinion of one’s own worth or importance which gives rise to a feeling or attitude of superiority over others; inordinate self-esteem.” As seen from the definition, having pride, especially excessive amounts of pride, could elevate a feeling of superiority over others. This feeling of superiority towards others is already detrimental to the development of one’s own life. This feeling could lead to a multitude of things, such as self-isolation, lack of communication, and poor synergy among peers. Having the sin of pride already destroys the image of oneself towards others. If having pride already ruins the reputation one has, what else can having pride do?
One can argue that having pride is a good trait to have and that it raises the self confidence of a person, but is that truly the case? Sure, there could be many things that someone should not be ashamed of doing and should be proud of doing instead, but should they really be prideful? Many would ask, “What is the difference between being proud and being prideful?” Well, the difference between the two is very simple. Being proud of oneself means that they are able to be satisfied with their accomplishments and can share these qualities with others. On the other hand, being prideful turns that feeling of satisfaction into arrogance, taking these accomplishments from others and ruining their own feelings of satisfaction. Being proud raises self-love and brings up self-esteem, while being prideful raises self-hate and lowers self-esteem. This is why pride is a very deadly sin, as it can also ruin others that are not directly involved with this sin.
Now that we know what the cardinal sin, pride, does to a mortal soul, instead of obtaining the sin known as pride, we should humble ourselves and try to understand each other at the same level. Instead of competing with each other to become the superior being, we should try to lower our pride and become admirable beings, helping anyone that falls. We should use the heavenly gift of humility, instead of abusing the hellish sin of pride. While it is good to be proud of ourselves, we should remember that it is sometimes better to show humility rather than arrogance, as we may never know when our excessive pride will lead to our eventual downfall.
Works Cited
“pride, n.¹”. Oxford English Dictionary, Oxford University Press, September 2023, <https://doi.org/10.1093/OED/7380022113>
Lewis, C.S. (1952) Mere Christianity Harper San Francisco; Revised & Enlarged edition (February 6, 200
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