I think it's pretty easy to see most conflict is due to pride. Why do people have so much pride?

Question

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070316/ap_on_re_us/st_patrick_s_parade
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_on_Terrorism
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pride

If you don't think most conflicts are due to pride, please present an alternative viewpoint.

Thank you very much for your feedback so far! Please help me understand why being rigid, or feeling the need to be right, or having an ego is any different than having too much pride? I think all of those are the same.

Answer 1

If pride can be considered a measure of self-worth and not "vanity", it could follow that once the "self-worth" is intimidated that defenses arise and therefore domino effect....I bug you, you hit me, I retaliate and then you retaliate, all escalating. I tried to explain this one time in a different perspective....when we were little and your older brother "frogged" you, you wanted to hit and hit on him until your pain went away. Hence, when someone "steps on" my pride/self-worth, conflict is at hand.

Although I do think there are other reasons for conflict, basis may originate in pride. Especially when this pride is defined by personal trust in one's own beliefs, morals and values. Good question.

Answer 2

I don't believe that's the case in all situations.. Pride undoubtfully can get ugly..... especially when a person views his/her reputation as being immediately "on the line", so to speak. For instance, I"ll agree with you that if a person felt that he/she had been disrespected and that the violator hadn't been descrete about it then there would be a greater chance of conflict. Tragedy. But I don't think that it would be the perception of that disrespect that would cause the conflict. I think it would be the learned reaction to that negitive perception that created the conflict. My viewpoint is that rigidity is the culprit. Too many people just haven't yet learned the concept of personal change/growth, flexibility, or the useful art of compromise. There are diverse reasons for this. Socioeconomic and racial factors are two things that play a significant part in the origins of conflict. Indigent persons, wealthy persons, black, hispanic, white,catholic, protestant............. all and all, narrow minded rigidity is what I see as the origin of conflict. Period.

Answer 3

SP up there is TOTALLY RIGHT. I'm gay myself and every single time I see Newsom's idiotic face, I think, "Oh my god, so THIS is why people hate us!" People would not oppose gay people if we would all just act moral and respectful of others. But when you see these immoral, flamboyant gays in the Pride Parades, then the average American gets IMMEDIATELY turned off to the idea of gay marriage. The Pride Parades ARE IMMORAL They're awful, and I, being gay, will still have NOTHING to do with them. There's nothing wrong with being proud of who you are. But things have become too politically correct in the U.S., and I think we should all as HUMANS be proud of who we are, not just individual races or other minority groups. There is too much division in our country. And it's caused by the many double standards our laws promote. But the major thing that causes this division is MISUNDERSTANDING. I think we gay people need to go back to the drawing board and help everyone understand that we're NOT perverted like those people in the Pride Parades or local Gay Bar....we're normal people who just want the ability to be with the ones we love and have it legally recognized. Anyways, I hope I answered your question. Blessed be! )O(

Answer 4

Pride is only a symptom of a more fundamental issue with humans. Conflict is NOT due to pride. It is due to EGO. Ego is what makes us humans think that we are separate from the rest of humanity and the Universe.

Look at a 2-year-old. Where's any hint of pride in a child? NONE! It's something that's learned and beaten into us by parents, peers, and society.

At the age of 4 - 7 is when a child first gets the false notion that they are "separate" from the rest of the world. And that is because adults don't realize that THEY have issues with feeling "separate" from everyone else and force it on to their children.

The madness of the world is the delusion that we are separate from everyone and everything. That's where wars of ideas and ideals come in. Look at what is going on in the Middle East, in Africa, in this country. "Us" against "them." Exclusion of "others."

If you want to find out more about this, read Dr. Wayne Dyer, the Dali Lama, Eckhart Tolle, and other authors who are about transforming yourself back into the Devinity that you are.

Answer 5

Pride or ego is a force or emotion within a person that makes them want to excel and do something that will gain him recognition and acclaim from other people.

Pride or ego is what sparks competition and causes people to do their best to reach a goal.

Without pride or ego many of the conveniences we enjoy today would not be available or they would be much less refined.

Answer 6

Pride can be involved, but I think conflict really is due to the need to be right. People (and groups, corporations, governments, etc.) will tend to defend their argument that they are right until death. As if dying is better than being wrong or mistaken.

It takes two to start a fight, it takes one to end it.

Answer 7

I think your premise is entirely untrue. Of course pride has something to do with conflicts, however the majority of conflicts involve a struggle for power. In society you obtain power through influence. You can have influence through money, religion, etc. Now I will tie your premis to mine in that your pride most likely is what drives an individual to want to obtain power, but where I disagree is that the conflict is not due to the pride, the conflict is due to the fight over limited resources (influence, money, etc.) that grant power.
Even religious zealots who will bomb a school are doing it for power. They want to hold the power of influence over others in making them fear for their lives. They claim to do it in the name of Allah, or Jehova, or whomever, but it's all for the sake of obtaining power.

Answer 8

They are afraid of being wrong as a result of insecurities.
Stubbornness maybe be disguised as pride.

Answer 9

No one likes to admit they are wrong.Many marriages and breakups are caused by both unable to come between on their diferences.Families break up over something stupid like money.Just call it being stubborn.

Answer 10

I could argue that Pride is only one 7th. the reasons.