Mind the cost of your pride

A popular Kiswahili saying goes that: aliye juu mngoje chini. This loosely translates that pride comes before a fall. And there are examples galore of people who get a little wealthy, become too proud and eventually fizzle away in financial falls like shooting stars in the sky. When lady luck smiles at them, they often forget other less privileged people and equate their wealth with their intelligence.

Often they look down at other people as lazy and deficient of ideas. And to cap their pride, they often don't save or invest in anything but go a consumerism spree that shocks and awes everybody. Witness the many geeks earning six figure salaries who insist on designers clothes while boutiques sell the same designs at a fraction of what they pay! Others host parties at a whim and in which everything from drinks to sausages and fruits are imported, at a high fee of course.