Patriotism

Subject: RE: Patriotism
From: Teribus
Date: 12 Nov 14 - 02:40 AM

Don't conflate "patriotism" with "nationalism".

Being "proud" of whatever country you happen to have been born in, has got nothing to do with being a "patriot" - being a "patriot" and being "patriotic" has got a great deal more to do with what you as an individual can do to making your country a better place.

Subject: RE: Patriotism
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 12 Nov 14 - 02:40 AM

I like two quotes from Bertrand Russell and George Bernard Shaw:-

Patriotism is the willingness to kill and be killed for trivial reasons.
Bertrand Russell

You'll never have a quiet world till you knock the patriotism out of the human race.
George Bernard Shaw,

Subject: RE: Patriotism
From: Joe Offer
Date: 12 Nov 14 - 01:41 AM

I like my country well enough, and I served in the army and pay my taxes and work as a volunteer in my community. But the people who call themselves patriotic never seem to think I'm good enough to be an American. Oftentimes, their idea of patriotism has something to do with having guns to protect themselves from their government, and to preserve their freedom to misuse and deface our national resources.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Patriotism
From: Janie
Date: 11 Nov 14 - 11:54 PM

Appreciate you trying to put into words what I struggle with myself, Dean. Thank you.

Subject: RE: Patriotism
From: frogprince
Date: 11 Nov 14 - 11:29 PM

If there were on definition of patriotism in the minds of all who speak of it, it would be much easier to respect or to condemn "patriotism" Certainly there are massive numbers who effectively exalt and proclaim that "we are the greatest nation, composed of the greatest people, and God has ordained and empowered us to mold the world to his ends". One step removed, there are the "patriots" who consider themselves to be the only true Americans, entitled to do anything to their fellow citizens in the pursuit of their just cause. There remain those who may consider themselves patriots because they love their country, but would hope to see it as an area occupied by one fraction of the human race. And I just struggled with how to define that last faction, and whether I've defined it at all well.

Subject: Patriotism
From: GUEST,Arkie
Date: 11 Nov 14 - 10:36 PM

This is from a comment on Quora.

Nobody in Germany (except Neo-Nazis) will say "I am proud to be German". That is a big no-no and has cost several public figures their jobs.

Many Germans will also argue that it is illogical to be proud of the accident of birth that could have just as easily placed you in Rwanda, or to be proud of your nation's achievements when you haven't done anything to create them.

That being said, you can sometimes find people who are paradoxically "proud of not being proud". They (and I myself am tending more and more towards that view) are proud of Germany for being basically the only nation that has identified patriotism as the root of much evil and done away with it.

Caused me to think. Some of the people I consider most dangerous in America call themselves patriots.