Have we lost our sense of pride? Author Richard Taylor contends that we have surely lost sight of what it truly means to be proud. In Restoring Pride he urges a return to the classical virtues, when pride meant "justified love of oneself" in the pursuit of "personal excellence." The proud stand above the rest: they utilize their natural gifts for significant and lasting achievement: they value self-appraisal above the standards and opinions of others: and they are obliged to be considerate of the needs and feelings of their fellow human beings.
Some may take offense at his efforts to restore such a primary virtue in this age of 'political correctness," but Taylor makes no apology for the elitist approach he takes. Some people are just better than others. We owe it to ourselves to explore and cultivate our own ideal of personal excellence and to enjoy openly the pride that properly accompanies it.
Richard Taylor (Interlaken, NY) is professor emeritus of philosophy at the University of Rochester, and author of Good and Evil; Love Affairs; and Freedom, Anarchy, and the Law.
232 pages
ISBN 1-57392-024-X