What makes vainglory distinct from pride, then, is love of “the show.” Prideful people want superior status more than anything else. They value being “number one,” to the point of seeking greatness in ways that appropriately belong only to God. The vainglorious, on the other hand, seek whatever will bring in the most attention and applause, whether it is excellent and deserving or not. Pride names the desire for genuinely exalted status; vainglory, a desire for recognition, publicity, and acclaim.
