Vanity and Pride

In modern culture, neither vanity nor pride is considered a harmful vice. In fact, both are encouraged. We are to take pride in our family, our ethnicity, our country, our work, our looks, our careers, our education, our talents, and our contributions to society. Most advertisements appeal to our vanity. The economy thrives on our desire for consumer goods that make us appear more beautiful, successful, and fashionable than others.

“The vain person wants praise, applause, admiration, too much and is always angling for it…It shows that you are not completely contented with your own admiration…The real black, diabolical Pride, comes when you look down on others so much that you do not care what they think of you…We must try not to be vain, but we must never call in our Pride to cure our vanity.” (excerpts from Mere Christianity, by C.S. Lewis)

Vanity is a lesser form of Pride. Vanity is superficial. Pride goes deeper and thus is harder to excise from our soul. Attempting to displace vanity with pride is like trying to cure acne with a carcinogen. When we think so highly of ourselves, when we are sure of our greatness, when we believe that others are not even capable of recognizing how special we really are...then we have entered into a truly dark place.

“A proud man is always looking down on things and people; and, of course, as long as you are looking down, you cannot see something that is above you.” (from Mere Christianity, by C.S. Lewis)

And here lies the real danger: Pride prevents us from recognizing our need for God.