Most people can't separate their sense of self from their genetic traits. If you're smart or tall, for example, that's deeply tied to how people perceive you a

Most people can't separate their sense of self from their genetic traits. If you're smart or tall, for example, that's deeply tied to how people perceive you and your identity. In some cases, like intelligence, it's easier to justify the pride by saying you worked hard to get it -- even if it's more a function of genes, upbringing, etc. In other cases, people are happy to have a good quality, and perhaps the unearned "pride" is a flaw that we are all susceptible to.