With the rise (against governments) of so many people in different countries occurring, I think there is no better time to ask this question. The whole world watched as the Americans bonded and banded together more than once any time a major crisis happened to put country first (every time except the debt ceiling debacle) and that has always baffled me. The United States is a country of multiple races, religions, cultures etc. and it is not free of discrimination against minority cultures, races, religions and sexuality either but yet, the moment she needs her people or she is physically threatened all those oppressed put aside their differences and become Americans again. A lot of countries show patriotism but I have never seen love and pride for country at this measure. That begs the questions, "is patriotism taught or nurtured and how can other countries replicate it"?
There is uprising in Northern Africa and the Middle East; is it for their individual freedom or for their country? I cannot tell just yet, but I sense that like most of Africa's history, the people who will replace the ousted will in time forget about country and begin to enrich themselves (I pray I am wrong). The real issue is if we can genuinely love our country and it's people we will not massacre them and bury them in mass graves as we have just discovered that Ghaddafi may also be guilty of, or enrich our Swiss accounts while people starve less than hundred meters from our mansions. We would strive to enable our people excel and compete in our new and very experimental global economy.
Is there a lesson to be taught to our children in kindergarten or is it in the U.S.A's pledge of allegiance?
Should we all teach our kids their allegiance pledge or just inculcate the words into our own?Is it their comic heroes? Does every country need to create it's own version of Superman and Captain America draped in the country's flag colors and promoting the country's ideals and values?
What would make an oppressed Black man wear the American military uniform and fight in WW2 just to return home and be discriminated against again, or a gay soldier discharged shamefully for his orientation immediately reenlist the moment the ban is lifted just to be shipped to Afghanistan? I love my birth country but I don't see myself sacrificing that much for her especially when I believe she does not sacrifice for me but they would.
I'd love to get your opinion on this matter and even if you disagree with my portrayal of them and their patriotism please speak and educate me as to where and why I am wrong.
That's quite interesting; to me patriotism is taught; it's culture.
ReplyDeleteIt gives people, a nation strength (such as the USA) but it also breeds intolerance, stupidity and ignorance (Nazi Germany)
Blind patriotism is extremely dangerous.
Patriotism is deff. something taught, if you notice, the countries with the most repressive states of affairs are the ones with more advertisments to boost citizens "confidence" in their nation and to brain wash them into believing "these's no place like home". I remember Reagan and his slogan telling people to "buy American". Is the same thing here in Mexico now, if the country is so great, why advertise?
ReplyDeleteIt can only be taught.. by men, trauma or a series of fortunate or unfortunate experiences. More proof that it is taught is that one can grow to be so in a country where one wasn't even born. There is a thin line between patriotic and obsessively nationalistic behaviour, which has a dark side ; the 'blind patriotism' mentioned by Spikey
ReplyDeleteIntellectual perspectives on the same issue. So I guess the first thing is to give each of them definitive and differentiating definitions.
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