I think it’s at least a not-unheard-of sentiment among groups that value humility. For example, the Shaker song “Simple Gifts” says, “’Tis the gift to be simple, ’tis the gift to be free...When true simplicity is gained, To bow and to bend we shan’t be ashamed.” Also adages like “Pride is the mask of our sins,” and from the other side “The nobler the blood the less the pride” (aka the truly noble don’t need to be proud).
The fact that there are at least as many opposing proverbs tells me this is just a case of people lumping multiple meanings together in a single word (I suspect the distinction is between inner generators of a pattern of behavior vs the outward look of it).
I think it’s at least a not-unheard-of sentiment among groups that value humility. For example, the Shaker song “Simple Gifts” says, “’Tis the gift to be simple, ’tis the gift to be free...When true simplicity is gained, To bow and to bend we shan’t be ashamed.” Also adages like “Pride is the mask of our sins,” and from the other side “The nobler the blood the less the pride” (aka the truly noble don’t need to be proud).
The fact that there are at least as many opposing proverbs tells me this is just a case of people lumping multiple meanings together in a single word (I suspect the distinction is between inner generators of a pattern of behavior vs the outward look of it).