Proud to be ...........?

I travel the world and visit many societies, cultures and nationalities. I find it interesting to discover the different attitudes to life, the different beliefs and stimuli that motivate different people.

I am currently visiting North America having been in South Africa and the UK in the last month. Something strikes me on this visit. It has occurred to me that the pride people have for their nation, heritage, culture or who they are, varies a great deal.

For example, Canadians are very proud of being Canadian. This pride is despite their divided history and even their current divisions. They are simply proud of who they are and promote their own products, promote their country and do this whilst embracing a changing world. In fact I would describe Canada as one of the most multi-cultural, multi-ethnic nations with the most tolerant and positive attitude. I can genuinely say that people seem to completely ignore the colour of a persons skin and embrace people for who they are and not where they come from. Maybe this has a lot to do with the pride they have in themselves.

Canada is probably one of the few countries that have this pride in such abundance, and consistently. In the United States, there is a lot of pride in who they were! Listen to Americans, they talk about their history with great pride, and so they should. Their founders did them proud in giving birth to a nation, which provided so many opportunities. However, the talk is about what they have done in years gone by and not what is happening now. I am not talking about the current administration either. They are fully divided on that one! I am talking about pride in their nation and who they are.

The country is so divided now that they are more at war with each other than they are with any other country, or what is laughingly called terrorism. I heard a great quote that sums up the situation here, “America, having given the world democracy, is in danger of being strangled by democracy”. I get the feeling that in America, people have to be proud of being American. To not be proud is seen as being anti-American. There is no middle ground. In a society where we can’t speak out against our country for fear of being anti-xxxx, is a dangerous place to be.

France has always been a nation of proud people. But a little thought about the basis of their pride and we discover that it is based more on an attitude. France is proud of being stubborn!! Maybe that is a bit harsh but not too far from the truth. People of France are very fickle and are proud for being proud rather than for what they stand for. For example, the French care about the pronunciation of what you say and not what is being said. As France teeters on the edge of bankruptcy I am reminded of the expression, ‘pride comes before a fall’.

South Africa is interesting because their first President after apartheid, Nelson Mandela instilled in people that they were a “rainbow nation” and should be proud of who they have become, despite their history. I wonder if he took a look at Canada and came up with that thinking? Certainly the country uses the logo “Proudly South African” on its products, and the people refer to “Proudly South African” on as many occasions as possible, in as many places as it can.

Mostly it is true, people are proud of what they have become. Those that weren’t have mostly moved on. They have a right to be proud as well. The way they have largely settled their past and moved on is an example to so many. If they can sustain their pride in the future and not keep getting dragged back to the past, they will do well.

I am not saying that countries don’t have pride. I am saying that the pride is weak or poorly placed and not an enduring pride that feeds the culture for good.

UK has little or no pride left. Despite various rhetoric by Prime Ministers, the basis is not there. Similar to America, there is a lot of division, the pride is in the history, it is not as evident as it was a generation ago.

In Pakistan I found people that were very proud of their traditions and their cultures. They were keen to share with me the different types of foods and show me aspects of their culture. They were also very humble. Very willing to learn, very keen to discover and also very ashamed of the people that were giving the West a poor impression of who they are.

All nations have a degree of pride but it is what it is based on that makes a difference as much as the level of pride.

Jews are proud on principle!
New Zealanders need to win the rugby to be proud ☺
Australians are proud of being different and being able to swear the most.

As with all things, it is a matter of degree. Certainly, the wrong type of pride can alienate and ultimately undermine you or country. Too little pride gives no meaning and does not create a basis for which people can belong or be motivated to contribute.

Ask yourself this, if you wanted to live with a group of people that are proud of who they are and what they are creating for the future, who would you think of first? How would being with them affect you?

Pride for the right reason is a worthy pride.