- This is in answer to:
- Name something that's inappropriately named. See all answers
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- October 21, 2009 by manuelg
- "Pride" is a mess of the constructive and the destructive
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This is less about the "inappropriately named", and more about *smooshing* two distinct concepts into a single word.
[In case you were wondering, Flickr has a lot of picture of "Gay Pride" instead of "Pride, the moral concept". That is cool, who am I to say that this fine fellow in the photo doesn't have much to be proud about ;-)
Pride, as the word is used in the United States (probably other places too, I really don't know), covers two concepts that are very much at odds
(1) Holding yourself to a higher moral and ethical standard than you expect others to follow, and working to meet that standard
(2) Preservation of a tender ego, with pettiness, oafishness, hypocrisy, rage-full violence, and self-indulgence
Bleh!
More duty under sense of pride, and less prideful thumb-sucking and insult-hurling.
Bonus word:
Virtue, as a word, *smooshes* together these different states of being:
(1) active duty under a sense of the right and the just
(2) fear of getting caught in a transgression, out of pure cowardice and cravenness
(3) laboring under pack-mule-like habitual action - having no mental capability to choose to commit a transgression, or even imagine one
There are too many people wearing the badge of virtue, who are too cowardly or stupid to act otherwise.
But I guess, if the social world called everything with a skeptical and cynical eye, everyday life would be unbearable. It is just a shame that such important words lose their real meaning.
There is no shame in being a tiny thing, trying to shoot for the moon. That is how I feel. I am sure my life is laughable, but why not aim high? Is there anything more contemptible than a tiny thing, aiming low? Better to be laughable than contemptible.
Uh, as usual, I went overboard. Forget I said anything. My Baby-Love would point out to everyone how short I fall when it comes to living. And who am I to say my Baby-Love is wrong? [Back to work]

Except zeros and Mormons