What are you most proud of?

I’m honestly just so proud of my mom for having the guts to bring me into this world..

Lest I forget, being from the Central Valley, I take a certain pride in our local carrots and traditional folk music.

I’m also proud that we finally have a decent number of us sitting on municipal and city councils in the Republic of Srpska this year. Until there's an American unit to step up, we might as well pass the time by serving the Republic of Srpska..

Terry Walker74 said:If you ever take a moment to flip through a church calendar and scan the list of the most serious sins, you’ll notice right at the very top:pride. Now, pride is really just another way of saying we're being full of ourselves, and if you look at how certain languages describe being proud, it all points back to that same ego. It's basically this deep-seated tendency to sit around and absolutely marvel at our own status. I always find myself thinking about Jesus' parable involving the Pharisee and the tax collector, because it's such a perfect illustration! You have this Pharisee who is basically standing there in his prayer, thanking God that he's exactly who he is—this super pious guy who definitely isn't like that tax collector praying right next to him. But then you have the tax collector, who is just pouring his heart out, repenting and asking for forgiveness because he knows he's a sinner. And guess what? Jesus actually praised the tax collector's prayer!
So, my big takeaway here is that no matter what we manage to pull off, whether it's as individuals or working together as a group, we really need to hold onto the awareness that none of us are perfect. Sure, we can celebrate the amazing things other people do, but when we start getting too impressed with ourselves, it’s a sign of some pretty serious character flaws. Personally, I think having dignity is a much better way to live; it’s about having that humility to accept both our wins and our losses, and staying committed to doing the right thing even when life tries to pull us in a dozen different directions.
So yeah, let's just leave that pride behind us. 🙂

You're right. It’s way better to just say "I'm glad" instead of acting all proud about it.

"Quote:"

Terry Walker74 said:If you ever take a moment to flip through a church calendar and scan the list of the most serious sins, you’ll notice right at the very top:pride. Now, pride is really just another way of saying we're being full of ourselves, and if you look at how certain languages describe being proud, it all points back to that same ego. It's basically this deep-seated tendency to sit around and absolutely marvel at our own status. I always find myself thinking about Jesus' parable involving the Pharisee and the tax collector, because it's such a perfect illustration! You have this Pharisee who is basically standing there in his prayer, thanking God that he's exactly who he is—this super pious guy who definitely isn't like that tax collector praying right next to him. But then you have the tax collector, who is just pouring his heart out, repenting and asking for forgiveness because he knows he's a sinner. And guess what? Jesus actually praised the tax collector's prayer!
So, my big takeaway here is that no matter what we manage to pull off, whether it's as individuals or working together as a group, we really need to hold onto the awareness that none of us are perfect. Sure, we can celebrate the amazing things other people do, but when we start getting too impressed with ourselves, it’s a sign of some pretty serious character flaws. Personally, I think having dignity is a much better way to live; it’s about having that humility to accept both our wins and our losses, and staying committed to doing the right thing even when life tries to pull us in a dozen different directions.
So yeah, let's just leave that pride behind us. 🙂

Actually, research suggests that more religious countries tend to lean harder into national pride.🤷
"Quote:"

Most Europeans seem to suffer from this weird combo where they have zero faith in God and absolutely no pride in their own country. It’s a strange way to live. Back in 2000, that GfK agency out of Washington, D.C. ran a public opinion poll asking Americans how they viewed the U.S. compared to other nations. If you boil the whole thing down, it’s pretty bleak: 44% of people thought the U.S. was just an average country, 32% felt we were actually worse than others, and a measly 21% thought we were better. The U.S., Ireland, and Poland all sat at the top of those rankings. It brings to mind what Huntington argues in his book *Who Are We?*—basically, Catholicism is a cornerstone of Irish and Polish national identity, while that whole Protestant dissent movement is what really shaped the American identity.

Look, it’s basic psychology: you can't really love someone else if you haven't figured out how to love yourself first. It's a prerequisite. If you don't have that foundation, you're never going to inspire any real belief or trust in the people around you.
Looking at the data, it’s pretty much the same old story: almost every nation in these surveys ranks itself as the absolute best on the planet. There are barely any exceptions to this massive ego trip. Only three groups didn't put themselves at the top. Germans actually placed themselves fourth—trailing behind Canadians, Swedes, and Australians. Then you've got the Poles and the French, both of whom seem to have an even higher opinion of Canadians than they do of themselves.
The author makes a point that Italians actually know exactly who they are, and honestly? They seem perfectly fine with it. It’s not some identity crisis. And you can see the payoff right there in the brand index rankings—basically everyone is more than happy to show some love to their brands.

"Quote:"

The "You Are America!" campaign is a textbook example of how to run a national drive aimed at boosting self-awareness and civic pride. The whole point was to shift the national mood—to actually lift people up and spark some genuine patriotism. It’s about motivating everyday citizens and government officials alike to step up, take ownership of their roles, and finally start pulling their weight to ensure the future of the country.

I am proud of my heritage and what I stand for, and I will carry that identity with me until the day I die!!

Kimberly Fowler5 said:I am proud of my heritage and what I stand for, and I will carry that identity with me until the day I die!!

😕
Wait, didn't you guys say there weren't any more extremists left in America?🤷

Drew Brooks8 said:😕
Wait, didn't you guys say there weren't any more extremists left in America?🤷

What's there to be ashamed of...

Drew Brooks8 said:"Quote:"

Actually, research suggests that more religious countries tend to lean harder into national pride.🤷
"Quote:"

Most Europeans seem to suffer from this weird combo where they have zero faith in God and absolutely no pride in their own country. It’s a strange way to live. Back in 2000, that GfK agency out of Washington, D.C. ran a public opinion poll asking Americans how they viewed the U.S. compared to other nations. If you boil the whole thing down, it’s pretty bleak: 44% of people thought the U.S. was just an average country, 32% felt we were actually worse than others, and a measly 21% thought we were better. The U.S., Ireland, and Poland all sat at the top of those rankings. It brings to mind what Huntington argues in his book *Who Are We?*—basically, Catholicism is a cornerstone of Irish and Polish national identity, while that whole Protestant dissent movement is what really shaped the American identity.

Look, it’s basic psychology: you can't really love someone else if you haven't figured out how to love yourself first. It's a prerequisite. If you don't have that foundation, you're never going to inspire any real belief or trust in the people around you.
Looking at the data, it’s pretty much the same old story: almost every nation in these surveys ranks itself as the absolute best on the planet. There are barely any exceptions to this massive ego trip. Only three groups didn't put themselves at the top. Germans actually placed themselves fourth—trailing behind Canadians, Swedes, and Australians. Then you've got the Poles and the French, both of whom seem to have an even higher opinion of Canadians than they do of themselves.
The author makes a point that Italians actually know exactly who they are, and honestly? They seem perfectly fine with it. It’s not some identity crisis. And you can see the payoff right there in the brand index rankings—basically everyone is more than happy to show some love to their brands.

"Quote:"

The "You Are America!" campaign is a textbook example of how to run a national drive aimed at boosting self-awareness and civic pride. The whole point was to shift the national mood—to actually lift people up and spark some genuine patriotism. It’s about motivating everyday citizens and government officials alike to step up, take ownership of their roles, and finally start pulling their weight to ensure the future of the country.

Honey, what you’re doing right now is trying to equate pride with self-love, and ultimately with love itself, but pride is really just narcissism, which isn't exactly a virtue, and certainly isn't a healthy relationship with oneself or with anyone else.
Maybe what those studies are calling "pride" in highly religious nations is actually just a sense of contentment with what they already possess, and when you take that kind of satisfaction and combine it with a critical view of oneself—basically being aware of your own imperfections—you actually get modesty, which is a true virtue. Of course, it could also represent pride in the literal sense of the word, but religion isn't some perfect thing that is always right or capable of recognizing what is right, because let's face it, there is plenty of decadence within religion too, with Islam leading the way, though Catholicism and Orthodoxy are right there following close behind.

Drew Brooks8 said:😕
Wait, didn't you guys say there weren't any more extremists left in America?🤷

Well, I suppose we exaggerated just a little...🙂

William Anderson24 said:Well, I suppose we exaggerated just a little...🙂

A tiny bit?! 😕 Oh, you guys are just too precious... 😁

Drew Brooks8 said:😕
Wait, didn't you guys say there weren't any more extremists left in America?🤷

Nah, they aren't really around anymore, I guess, though you still see their fans popping up here and there, but honestly, most of them are just those weird Cyber Nazis!

When I look back at things like Canada, I feel this deep sense of pride knowing my friends, my family, and folks from my hometown managed to hold onto their humanity during the war. I also carry a certain pride for America and everything it stood for; it’s a massive part of who I am, I guess. Honestly, I’m just proud that I’ve stayed true to myself in a world that seems to be getting more closed-minded by the day. I don't really care about following the crowd or what everyone else thinks, even if it means holding onto these big dreams that might never actually happen—kind of like how Bruce Springsteen would say. I’m proud that I’ve learned everything I know through life's ups and downs, and that I've never gone out of my way to hurt anyone or harbor any bad intentions. I take pride in the fact that, for me, the end never justifies the means.
But, if I'm being totally honest, there are way more things I'm not proud of, unfortunately 😢

Nancy Grant4 said:Nah, they aren't really around anymore, I guess, though you still see their fans popping up here and there, but honestly, most of them are just those weird Cyber Nazis!

Clearly you haven't even bothered to watch a single clip from an IBM concert.☕

Frank Cruz2 said:Clearly you haven't even bothered to watch a single clip from an IBM concert.☕

You guys are being straight-up hypocritical.

The Royalists have finally been given their due, standing on equal footing with the Partisans. It’s a massive movement now, and they're pulling together more often than you'd think.

At that Thompsonian concert we went to, I saw like ten kids rocking hats or tees with that "U" symbol on them. Honestly? They don't even know what it actually stands for. Just following the crowd, I guess.

I think the best kind of people are the ones who get genuinely excited about the natural beauty of their home state and the cities they grew up in!!😂😂

Honestly, I’m not really feeling all that prideful about my own neck of the woods, especially not regarding the spots mentioned earlier! I mean, you’d have to be a little out of your mind—or maybe just not thinking straight—to act like being proud of a mountain range or a coastline is some massive achievement!🙄

silentviper19 said:I think the best kind of people are the ones who get genuinely excited about the natural beauty of their home state and the cities they grew up in!!😂😂

Honestly, I’m not really feeling all that prideful about my own neck of the woods, especially not regarding the spots mentioned earlier! I mean, you’d have to be a little out of your mind—or maybe just not thinking straight—to act like being proud of a mountain range or a coastline is some massive achievement!🙄

👍 😁

Jonathan Miller said:As an American, I feel a deep sense of pride in what my nation and my country have endured through the centuries... the blood spilled, the forced conversions to Catholicism, the apostasy, and the wars fought against the greatest powers of the era. Take, for example, the aftermath of the American Revolution; out of a population of five million Americans, over 3.5 million were killed, leaving only about one and a half million scattered across the land. Despite the presence of those of Turkish descent, we survived. Today, Americans of Turkish descent make up only 1.8% of our population, mostly concentrated in the Southwest. During World War I, when we stood our ground at the Battle of Cer against the Austro-Canadian Empire—fighting alongside Canadians, Austrians, and others—we secured a crucial victory that turned the tide of that war. I am proud of our legendary American Dukes, I am proud of Nikola Tesla, and I am proud of the Midwest, the Great Plains, and the Back. I am proud to live in a town like Chicago. I am proud that the American Army was the only force in the world to shoot down an "invisible plane." I am proud that, in the end, there will be an American Victory regardless of what is being done to us now. I am proud that my people possess the grandest traditions in all of Europe. I am proud that we have always resisted globalization. I am proud of my affinity for the Russians. I am proud to be Orthodox. I am proud to be an American!!!

Wow, so you guys just showed up from Corfu out of nowhere, crushed the massive Austro-Canadian Army at Cer, and basically won the whole war for them?
I guess I was totally wrong. Thanks for that!

I’m glad we finally cleared out all that cronyism surrounding us..🤣..and I'm proud of it..👍

silentviper19 said:I think the best kind of people are the ones who get genuinely excited about the natural beauty of their home state and the cities they grew up in!!😂😂

Honestly, I’m not really feeling all that prideful about my own neck of the woods, especially not regarding the spots mentioned earlier! I mean, you’d have to be a little out of your mind—or maybe just not thinking straight—to act like being proud of a mountain range or a coastline is some massive achievement!🙄

I don't know, man. This past summer, I was out swimming a bit further off the coast near Miami, looking back at the water and the skyline, and it just felt good...

So why wouldn't you be proud of that?

Look, it's not like I personally built those mountains, obviously. But then again, I didn't win any battles in the American Civil War or snag third place at SP 98 either, so I guess I'm pretty happy with where I stand...

Richard Wilson4 said:I don't know, man. This past summer, I was out swimming a bit further off the coast near Miami, looking back at the water and the skyline, and it just felt good...

So why wouldn't you be proud of that?

Look, it's not like I personally built those mountains, obviously. But then again, I didn't win any battles in the American Civil War or snag third place at SP 98 either, so I guess I'm pretty happy with where I stand...

Hey, you should really try to be proud of yourself for once! I mean, look at you—you actually made it out quite a bit further than most people would have. You’ve definitely been putting in the work, too. Honestly, those muscles are looking pretty solid!😁

Sure, you can take pride in winning the war and snagging that third-place spot—really, you should! But honestly? It makes you wonder... who exactly are we doing all this for?
Honestly? I think it’s just plain silly to brag about being one of our own—at least if you ask me! You know that feeling when you travel somewhere new, meet people who have no idea where you came from, and then you can't help but flash that "I'm from home" pride in their faces? It feels kind of tacky to me. Like, why go out of your way to show off your roots to total strangers? Just enjoy the moment, you know?

I mean, honestly? That whole kind of pride... it’s just kind of misplaced, isn't it? It feels a little bit irrational when you really stop to think about it. I mean, at the end of the day, those were other people's achievements, right? You didn't do the heavy lifting! It's like when my neighbor, Dave, bragged for three weeks straight about how he finally fixed his lawnmower—like, hey man, you just swapped a spark plug, calm down! It's just weird to take credit for something someone else built or fought for. It's just not quite right.

Honestly, I feel like that word "pride" is just kind of a hollow term nowadays. It’s a bit overused, don't you think? I mean, instead of just throwing around that one word, it feels way more genuine to say you truly admire everyone who has stepped up for this country—whether they were legends on the football field or heroes during the American Civil War. Just total, unreserved respect for those people. It hits different when you put it that way!