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Brad Moore one said, "Pride would be a lot easier to swallow if it did not taste so bad." This quote reveals accurately the way most people react to having their pride hurt. It is human nature to dislike being wrong and to dislike admitting a wrong even more. Throughout history, the inability to swallow pride and correct a wrong has been a major theme of literature, movies, music, and in life.

In Antigone, the pride of the two main characters is addressed by the blind prophet, Teiresias. He says that all men make mistakes but that a good man will stop when he knows he is committing a wrong and will correct the problems he has caused. He says that the only crime committed was pride. By examining the role the inability to swallow pride has played in America's recent government and in Greek literature such as The Odyssey and Antigone, Teiresias is proven indubitable true.
The inability to admit to a wrong has cost our nation thousands of lives. After the attack on the world trade centers, our president was advised that an attack full of weapons of mass destruction by our enemy was not out of question. Because of this, an investigation was launched. It was during this time that a enormous mistake was made. Instead of waiting on the investigation to finish, the American government planted their despair into a deep hatred against several middle eastern countries. It was this hate the fueled the start of the war on terrorism after the accusations of having weapons of mass destruction was proven false. The American government refused to swallow their pride and admit they were wrong. Instead, they chose to follow through with their plans of war. Several years have passed and no weapons have ever been found. After the attacks on September 11th, America had a right to be angry. Being angry and trying to place blame was in no way a crime. However, the pride exhibited after the accusations were proven false was a crime. If the American government had admitted to their wrong when no weapons were found, the war on terrorism could have been avoided and the lives of men and women would not have been sacrificed.
In The Odyssey, the pride of Odysseus cost him ten years of his life. Odysseus fought in the Trojan war. After devising the plan that won the war, Odysseus was proud towards the gods. This angered Poseidon. To show Odysseus for his hubris, Poseidon did not allow Odysseus to find his way home for ten years. Odysseus was made to experience strenuous obstacles.

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