Pride and the Virtues
From Atlantic Roleplay Wiki
Title: Pride and the Virtues
Author: Bartholomew
Pride and the Virtues
There are those who hold
that Pride, in moderation,
is not necessarily opposing
the Virtues. They argue
that Pride in service of
the Eight Virtues is
actually a preferred
condition as Pride serves
the Virtues. A further
argument is that the
Virtue of Spirituality is
in actuality a moderated
instance of Pride. After
all, is not Pride
complimentary component
to Humility? After all,
Humility is the absence
of the Principles, thus
Pride would be the
inclusion of all Principles
rather than Spirituality.
Further, Pride walks hand
in hand with Spirituality
since when applied to the
Virtues; is not
Spirituality the showing
of Pride in the Virtues?
To all these contentions, I
say no! In actuality, Pride
is a poison to the
Virtues and a drug to
those who are caught in
its influence. Pride is, as
we are told in the
ancient texts on the
Virtues, the antithesis of
Humility and is to be
scorned. We are guided
to shun those whom have
fallen to the temptations
of Pride.
Once one falls into the
habit of Pride, one finds
themselves filled with a
euphoria within themselves
and soon fall to the
addiction of the self. This
is often reinforced by
gaining the admiration of
others, especially when
the Prideful boasts are
of great deeds of Virtue.
Inevitably, the Prideful
person will start to
boast of future acts
until, one day, they begin
to make boasts that
their feats cannot
support nor complete.
Soon the admirations of
others turn to scorn,
distrust, disdain, and
distancing from the fallen
one. As has been said,
Pride comes before the
fall, and the fall
inevitable does come once
one sets on the path of
Pride.
Pride is also completely
and invariably ruinous to
the acts of Virtue
performed in its service.
Any act of Virtue
performed chiefly for the
personal recognition, Pride,
is tainted and invalid as
it serves not Virtue but
rather serves Pride.
Pride makes a mockery
of Virtue. To further
discuss this, let us look
at the effect Pride has
upon each Virtue.
Pride and Compassion
Compassion is the selfless
providing for those in
need or less fortunate
than oneself. Compassion
is best performed
anonymously so as to
avoid any obligatory
feelings. Once Pride is
allowed to corrupt
Compassion, inserted is
the need for notoriety
and credit for deeds of
presumed Compassion. This
refutes both aspects
basic to Compassion,
selflessness and
anonymity. Thusly Pride
turns Compassion into a
form of Subjugation just
for the glory of the
provider and furthermore
removes the action from
being one of Virtue.
Pride and Honor
Honor is the courage to
stand for truth, be it
comfortable or agonizing.
Honor is the quiet act of
supporting that which is
right and opposing that
which is wrong. Once
Pride is injected into
Honor there comes a
conflict. Pride does not
allow for acts and deeds
to be performed quietly,
they must have some
form of notoriety and or
fanfare. Further, Pride
disallows the supporting
that which is
uncomfortable or agonizing
as that distracts from
the repute of the deed.
Thus Pride not only
diminishes opportunities to
do Honor, it may oft
prevent deeds and acts
of Honor that may
detract from the self.
Pride and Honesty
Honesty is the simple
bearing of the absolute
Truth. Absolute Truth is
beyond the self and must
be universal and equal in
its form. Once Pride is
imposed upon Honesty,
there is little left which
is Truth. Pride does not
permit any universality.
Rather it insists on
taking the individual above
all else. Once the
individual becomes more
important than the all
encompassing, Truth and
Honesty fall away.
Pride and Sacrifice
Sacrifice is the gift of
giving of oneself for the
love of all the rest. It is
performing deeds that
take into account the
whole of the society over
the individual. Once Pride
attempts to enter into
the realm of Sacrifice,
then Sacrifice slowly will
be tainted and bent and
twisted until it no longer
can exist. Since Sacrifice
places the all above the
individual, and Pride places
the individual above the
all, the two are totally
incompatible and each
must destroy the other
by definition. Sacrifice
cannot exist where Pride
is in residence.
Pride and Humility
Humility is the finding of
one's place in the world,
not according to one's
own accomplishments, but
according to the intrinsic
value of all individuals.
The anti-Virtue of
Humility is Pride. Knowing
this, there is no further
need to discuss how Pride
and Humility are
incompatible.
Pride and Spirituality
Spirituality is the
confrontation of one’s
inner self and the
struggle to set oneself
on the Path of Light.
Spirituality is a personal
and internal struggle with
oneself for the
betterment of the
individual self. Spirituality
is the only Virtue that
does not imply or require
others in order to pursue
and achieve. Once Pride
cracks open a seam into
one’s pursuit of
Spirituality it allows
opinions and views of
others into what should
be a personal struggle.
Since only the individual
truly knows the true
self, warts and all, only
the individual can guide a
soul to true Spirituality.
Others cannot direct one
in a Spiritual direction,
as they know not from
whence your journey did
start. So, we find that
Pride does not wed with
Spirituality
Pride and Valor
Valor is taking actions to
support one’s own truth
and beliefs. Valor is
defending one’s own
innermost held truisms. It
would seem that Pride
could be very compatible
with Valor. This is not
the case. Where Pride
does serve the inner self,
it is also subject to the
perceptions of the others.
Without the admiration of
others there is no Pride,
only the buffoonery of a
fool. Thus Pride would
corrupt Valor by
subjecting it to the
whims, desires, and
pressures of others.
Under the restrictions of
Pride, one cannot pursue
one’s own beliefs.
Pride and Justice
Justice is the seeking of
that which is proven and
applying this with
kindness. Justice must
remain free from all
influence other than cold
hard truths. Justice must
be meted with regard to
the severity of the
truthful acts but applied
with gentle understanding.
Justice requires one to
be free of any and all
influence outside of facts.
Justice does not allow
for personality by either
the recipient or the one
applying Justice. Pride
would infect Justice with
personality and prejudice.
This would negate Truth
and quite verily affect
any application thus
negating gentle
understanding. Justice is
not a personality contest;
Pride is exactly a
personality contest.
Therefore, Pride and
Justice are incompatible.