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Rob King said:

I am proud to be a heterosexual man who's ancestors almost entirely came from the British isles.

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Why?

Diverging from the topic this was quoted in, I'm intensely curious as to why you (and by you I mean human individuals in general) have pride in things that "you" had no real part in creating/affecting. It's one thing to be proud of a son who does the right thing because I helped him see why he should, but why be proud over the Han people's place in history? I had no real effect on that. Is it a biological thing? Humans take comfort in those like them, who make the same choices?

We need to have something to cometh before the fall....duh.

Im proud of my ancestors because they lived mostly good lives and made choices that resulted in the awesomness that is me.

makare said:

Im proud of my ancestors because they lived mostly good lives and made choices that resulted in the awesomness that is me.

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right, but that's nothing you did. It's like "hey, my predecessors kicked ass, and here I am, BAM!" as opposed to "I killed thirty other humans in war, and now I get to have kids in peace"

Thankful I get, but pride?

you can have pride in things other people do...

What it is for me is that I'm proud to be who I am. I like being me, and my heritage is a part of that. I didn't personally play a part in any of the history of the British isles, or the discovery of North America, or the migration to Newfoundland, the history thereof or anything, but they are all steps in the process that brought me into being.

And there are cultural factors along the way that have obviously shaped my thinking: there is the character of my home that I am proud to have in some small part ... the ability to persevere against hardship, and the willingness to come together in a community against those same hardships are both things that I take from my heritage as a Newfoundlander. Not to say that other people and cultures don't carry those things in them as well, but wherever else such things may be found they are also found in me, and I'm glad of it.

In a nutshell, I guess it has less to do with what part I've played in older events, but what part those older events have played in me.

Why not pride?

I'm proud that my German ancestors happened to have a fucking awesome last name. A last name that has been passed down through generations to me. Because seriously, it's cooler than all of your last names.

makare said:

you can have pride in things other people do...

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Well sure you can, but that's the whole thing that puzzles me. It's why do you?

To answer Espy's question; in my opinion "pride" in the works of others I have no effect on seems just as reasonable, or unreasonable as say "I'm really proud of the planet being habitable for me." I'm thankful, but not proud. And yet, every time my teams win a game, I'm proud. The question remains. why?

Your pride in your background is the shared struggle. That will normally be what most ethnic pride discussions revolve around. That and cursing the English for fucking their country over...

Take Gay Pride. Normally established as being something the individual has no control over. Yet the individuals are proud of the ones that have gone before and established what rights they have.

sixpackshaker said:

Your pride in your background is the shared struggle. That will normally be what most ethnic pride discussions revolve around. That and cursing the English for fucking their country over...

Take Gay Pride. Normally established as being something the individual has no control over. Yet the individuals are proud of the ones that have gone before and established what rights they have.

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Except that being gay often puts me personally into situations where I resist accepting "shame" for being a deviant, and that plays a central role in "gay pride." Again, I'm proud of the fact that despite personal condemnation and bad interactions from the more conservatively minded, I am openly who I am. I'm thankful for Stonewall, but not personally proud of it. Not ashamed of it either, mind you, but I'm proud of walking hand in hand with my partner smiling at the protestors who are hurling invectives interlaced with demands we repent. I'm not proud because I'm "gay" insofar as I'm proud I was brave enough to do it. Does the distinction make sense?

Well then how is that different in being proud of being born black? or Polish/German/Irish/Native American?

Some of those catch less crap than others, but at some point it was not vogue to be in any of those groups.

The insults keep coming. And you deal with them as they come.

I don't think there are any easy or clear cut answers, but I'm still curious, and maybe a part of that is wondering who else is, at least as far as this is concerned.

I don't think I'm "proud" of my heritage to be honest, mainly because it's a muddled one with very little concrete to even base anything off. I can understand why one would have the cultural pride in their heritage though. Being proud of your family, their struggles, your culture and people and where they came from, etc.

I have pride for the same reason I don't apologize for who I am, or where I've come from.

---------- Post added at 02:06 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:04 PM ----------

Espy said:

I don't think I'm "proud" of my heritage to be honest, mainly because it's a muddled one with very little concrete to even base anything off. I can understand why one would have the cultural pride in their heritage though. Being proud of your family, their struggles, your culture and people and where they came from, etc.

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Espy, I come from a mutt heritage as well. Take pride in your muddy past, you represent something distinctly American.

Social conditioning combined with survival instinct.

I'm proud to be adopted. But it's a pain in the ass when I need medical history.

I have pride in being the first college graduate in my mom's side of the family. I'm not doing anything pertaining to my degree or anything, but I have a sense of accomplishment about it.

Pride by association?

I'm not on any of the Olympic teams that performed in Vancouver this past Winter, but I was intensely proud of Canada's performance in the games. I certainly didn't help, but I identify pretty strongly with my home country and so it felt like a win for me personally.

I think it's the idea that you associate yourself with that group. Canada performed well on a worldwide stage, so it becomes an individual's pride to say "Yeah, well I'M Canadian".

The flip side is also true, which is why I no longer consider myself an anime fan. Their rude behaviour towards civilians during a convention I went to a few years back was the last straw. I hated the idea that a person might look at that rude and inconsiderate group, and then look at me, and consider us the same.

I think that someone takes pride in their culture it's not a "sense-of-accomplishment" type of pride but the pride that comes from feeling like you belong. So, yes, it is probably related to comfort and the desire to be a part of something. I'm also proud of my heritage. I didn't affect the lives of my ancestors, but I think my culture is interesting and fun, and I'm glad to be a part of it.

Well........ I will take a stab in it.

Why be proud of someone's else accomplishment? (pretty much I think) I guess it is a sense of belonging. It is a sense that your ancestors did something that you and your family can be proud of or in honor. Of course it works both way like if your ancestor was a robber and pillage many innocent homes and made tons of money, it is not something to be proud of.

I believe it is a personal link to a person's heritage. A sense that you belong with someone that has done good with the world and thus make you feel good. A lot of people need that. Cause maybe in current time there is not much a person can do to make a change in history (or they feel that way)

You know that many Asian do this a lot. Especially if someone tarnish someone's name even if they are long dead, people fight tooth and nail to make it right again.

I'm proud to be nothing like my bigoted ancestors. I guess that's kind of the opposite of what we're talking about, here.

I don't know if I would call it pride, but I have admiration for one branch of my family, jewish german citizens that fled during WW2. Having never been radically repressed myself, I don't know that I can even fully connect with what they went through, but I admire that they survived and built a new life.

I SEE PRIDE. I SEE POWA! I SEE A BADASS MOTHER WHO DON'T TAKE NO CRAP FROM NOBODY!

:laugh: Oh wow.

I think pride is a silly thing to have, really. I can understand it in your own accomplishments and your own work, because those are things you can directly attach your name to. Other things like sports teams winning, your country, your place of birth I just don't get. I like America. I like living here and I don't really see myself living anywhere else for too long. I mean don't get me wrong, I'd live in France or someplace for a year if given the opportunity, but for the most part I want to live here. Is that because I just have all this pride in the place I was born? No, not really. I know the laws here, I know the customs, I know the language and my family and friends are here.


To me, pride and traditions are two things that people need to give a few less shits about, because it mostly leads to unnecessary anger.

phil said:

I think pride is a silly thing to have, really. I can understand it in your own accomplishments and your own work, because those are things you can directly attach your name to. Other things like sports teams winning, your country, your place of birth I just don't get. I like America. I like living here and I don't really see myself living anywhere else for too long. I mean don't get me wrong, I'd live in France or someplace for a year if given the opportunity, but for the most part I want to live here. Is that because I just have all this pride in the place I was born? No, not really. I know the laws here, I know the customs, I know the language and my family and friends are here.


To me, pride and traditions are two things that people need to give a few less shits about, because it mostly leads to unnecessary anger.

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It's a sense of belonging to something bigger than yourself.

Chazwozel;419791][QUOTE=phil said:

I think pride is a silly thing to have, really. I can understand it in your own accomplishments and your own work, because those are things you can directly attach your name to. Other things like sports teams winning, your country, your place of birth I just don't get. I like America. I like living here and I don't really see myself living anywhere else for too long. I mean don't get me wrong, I'd live in France or someplace for a year if given the opportunity, but for the most part I want to live here. Is that because I just have all this pride in the place I was born? No, not really. I know the laws here, I know the customs, I know the language and my family and friends are here.


To me, pride and traditions are two things that people need to give a few less shits about, because it mostly leads to unnecessary anger.

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It's a sense of belonging to something bigger than yourself.[/QUOTE]

There are good things to this too phil.

When people have pride in their community, the community tend to look out for each other and try to promote a better life (generally) It is like China town in many cities. People are proud of what they are and build nice place to have their business and some even their home. It attract tourist to visit and make them proud of what they are.

but you are right, that sometimes too much pride can lead to fights and anger.

Pride is one of those all encompassing words. Meanings range from celebrating Saint Patrick's Day, to beating the crap out of that other person of random ethnic origin that is subhuman in your eyes.

phil, don't confuse pride in heritage with racism.

Yeah. It's the same thing that makes people join gangs, go through hazing, sign up for memberships, and get together on Sundays. Everyone wants to belong to something bigger than him/herself.
-If you're born/stumble into it, you get to talk about how lucky/talented you are.
-If you work your way into it, you get to talk about how dedicated you are.
-If you buy your way in, you get to talk about how rich you are.
-If you lie your way in, you get to talk about how crafty/clever you are.
-If others put you there, you get to talk about how popular you are.

--Patrick