A person can hold his head high because he thinks a lot of himself and stands tall with self-important smugness. Or he can hold his head high for a different reason.
Man is set between the animals and the angels.
If he fills his life with vanity and the empty frenetic rush to fulfill his own desires, then he falls to the level of an animal. Really however, he is worse than an animal, because an animal is supposed to behave like an animal. A man isn't. On the other hand, if he conquers his negative instincts, sanctifies and purifies his thoughts, his words and his actions, man raises himself to the level of an angel. In reality, however, he has raised himself higher than an angel, for angels have no negative drives to overcome.