David Worboys – Nothing matters

The words “pride” and “proud” have so many different meanings, ranging from Gay Pride to the Proud Boys. Pride can mean complacency, arrogance or nationalism. It can also mean a sense of fulfilment, admiration or patriotism.

Complacency arises where smugness overrides reality. Rishy Sunak regularly expresses pride in his achievements, despite the obvious failures of his government. Such an attitude leaves no room for admission of any shortcoming, and hence no motivation for improvement.

Pride can also be a conception of feeling “superior to other people”. This is arrogance – the opposite of humility.

Pride in one’s country often takes the form of nationalist xenophobia. Conversely it can be patriotic loyalty and gratitude. It can also signify the tender feelings of delight with one’s baby or pleasure at the achievement of a loved one.

In the USA, I have several times heard somebody announce “I’m proud to be an American”. My silent response is “Well, being born is quite an achievement. What else have you done to be proud of? Apart from voting for Trump.”

Pride in one’s appearance, one’s mental or physical abilities is fine, unless it becomes an obsession bordering on vanity. There is a distinction between taking the trouble to be well-dressed and presentable and flaunting one’s physical attributes.

Finally, personal pride can mean a (justified) feeling of satisfaction with one’s performance. This could be with a charitable act or with the attainment of personal targets or standards. Or pride in one’s job, completion of a project or a service provided. And this brings us to one of the major issues of today.

In the last fifty years, pride and effort have succumbed to the easy way out. In so many areas, there is no longer the same degree of determination to do a good job or to provide a good service if there is a more convenient alternative. The manner of call centres, the attitude of too many shopkeepers and waiters, the careless editing of publications and the misinformation on social media are symptomatic of “what we can get away with”. And it seems to be accepted.

At a senior level, the quality of railway services and airline flights has declined partly because of lack of finance but also owing to lack of pride in organisation and administration. It is the same with most banks, post offices, utility companies, health services, police forces, schools and town halls.

Many television journalists and presenters are semi-literate and have never bothered to learn their own language. They are in the wrong profession.

With technology we have been blessed with enormous innovations in telephones, computers televisions and cars. But what about the atrocious quality of packaging, instruction manuals and certain products ranging from toilet rolls and kettles to shirts and apples?

Bugger the customer! It’s easier to do it on the cheap – or to do it without thinking.