What does "the success of certain causes or principles" mean?
We don't simply nod in recognition at a world divided into hostile camps, each fuelled by a sense of its own righteousness. We take sides. We become partisans. We develop loyalties. We identify our own good with the success of certain causes or principles. We adopt ideologies. And, if we are journalists, this influences our writing.

What does "the success of certain causes or principles" in "We identify our own good with the success of certain causes or principles." mean?

If I have a cause that I keep my country safe, the cause will become my good and if I have the principle that free education should be available for all children, it will become my good, the writer said. Is it right?

Question

What does  "the success of certain causes or principles" mean?
We don't simply nod in recognition at a world divided into hostile camps, each fuelled by a sense of its own righteousness.  We take sides. We become partisans. We develop loyalties. We identify our own good with the success of certain causes or principles. We adopt ideologies. And, if we are journalists, this influences our writing.

What does  "the success of certain causes or principles" in "We identify our own good with the success of certain causes or principles." mean?

If I have a cause that I keep my country safe, the cause will become my good and if I have the principle that free education should be available for all children, it will become my good, the writer said. Is it right?

Answer

If your cause was free education for all children, you would say that your life is good, if that comes to pass, or your life is not good, if it fails. In my country, there are a lot of different ideologies fighting to change this nation into what they believe it should be. If one of two opposing ideologies saw its cause fail, they would say that life is no good here, and they would be very sad or angry with the state of affairs, but the other ideology would be joyful that things are going in the direction that they desire. 
Example: A pro-life group and a pro-abortion group may both be demonstrating outside of a courthouse that is deciding the fate of an anti-abortion law. If they decide that the law was not legal, the pro-abortion group would rejoice, while the pro-life group would mourn, and possibly vow to continue to fight for their cause.