Pride - the worst sin according to C.S.Lewis

[GrandizerII]

America is famous for being an individualistic sort of place, where Ayn Rand, for example, could find a home. I wonder if this tendency has contributed to the word "pride" getting a more positive meaning over time.

Yeah, individualistic cultures are likely to foster a sense of self-esteem in individuals (and treat that as a positive thing, which I would of course agree with). But I suspect that a lot of it also has to do with the modern secular (or antitheistic) attitude towards the central premises of Christianity, and so have turned what is seen as bad according to Christianity (such as pride) into something that is good.

Basically, the thinking in response goes like this: I am not a sinner, but a person of value (and I should be proud of that).