This article tells how Carlos Slim Helu, a Mexican billionaire, has just surpassed Bill Gates as the world's richest man. I don't want to talk about the reasons behind acquiring that much money - I think that "Wall Street" covered that. However, I want to talk about my reaction to the article and see how it compared to yours.
As I read the article, I immediately wanted Bill Gates, an American, to be the richest person in the world again. He has been the world' richest person for fourteen of the past fifteen years. Also, Gates is only five hundred million dollars behind.
I thought it was odd that I became so vested in the competition . . . and it doesn't even affect me . . . at all! I immediately identified with the other American and started to become emotionally upset.
I personally feel that this could be from our social needs. Those would be our needs for achievement, affiliation - intimacy, and power. Even though we aren't the ones with the money, we can identify with Bill Gates since we are Americans, too.
What do you think? Is this from our social needs? Do you have another explanation?
I definitely think it is a socialized need.
Patriotism. It is definitely not innate.
Looking up pride in the book it doesn't specifically ilst the word, but it directly points me to pages 176-179 which are socialization influences under need for achievement.
Perhaps our need generalizes to where we have come from? We have a desire to have our country be the best at everything, even if we deep down know it actually is not.
Another interesting question would be are we proud due to intrinsic or extrinsic motivational factors, or could it even be a combination of both.
Social needs motivate behavior, and that aggressive reaction towards something taking a jab at America is definitely evidence of this.
Interestingly enough looking up competition also brought me to the same pages.
So Nile. I believe your explanation is correct.