To be proud means having a feeling of deep pleasure or satisfaction as a result of one’s own achievements. Does this mean then that you cannot be proud of something that is not of your own making?
Does this include where you were born?
Where you are born is something that you have no choice over. It just happens depending upon where your mother happened to be at the time. Your conscious self and therefore the ability to make achievements does not kick in for a few years. Perhaps you can be proud of your first word, holding your spoon or filling your nappy but not being born.
A lot of people say they are proud of their country. What they mean is that they are patriotic, that is having or expressing devotion to and vigorous support for one’s country. They may well be proud of the contribution they have made to their country through their work or community spirit but unless they have created the country through their own achievements then they cannot be proud of it. This option would be limited to a very select band of royalty and politicians.
Ironically therefore, the only people who can genuinely be proud of a country are those who have made the effort to arrive and live there by their own efforts and choice. You can be proud of your country because you have selected it as the place where you would most like to live, made all the arrangements and made the effort to move and settle there.
Does this mean that the only people who can be proud of their country are immigrants?
Thoughts from a Guerrilla Worker 