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Yossarian
Joined: Aug 9, 2005
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Patriotism
August 10, 2005 @ 09:04 AM
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How can you be proud of a geographical land mass. How naive and gullible must you be to buy into the 'my country is my pride' garbage. It is downright irrational to even consider your land of birth to deserve mortal allegiance. It is an unfounded posit instituted by power-hungry madmen and bigotted narrow-minded zealots and sadly made popular by the misguided notions of the romantics.
Perhaps I am guilty of over-simplifying matters. Patriotism has deep roots in the commoner's psyche - who perceives his country as an extension of his home, thereby eliciting in him a sense of belonging, of togetherness and camaraderie with his compatriots who are, by the same logic, members of his household. The place of nationalism has certainly been cemented by the considerable weight of history.
Rational thinking has never been a widely possessed faculty and the tide of history bears testament to this fact. In pre-colonial times geographical boundaries were the basis for most warfare and the military minded peoples of bygone ages were in a position where they had to fight for the right to live on a piece of land. Since the land which sustained and nourished them was under threat of seizure by force it was naturally perceived as precious. Fueled by the knowledge that his land was essential for subsistence emotions of love and gratitude for his land and collectively the land of the entire nation grew. Pride in land was in the human brain instantaneously substituted for pride in the 'nation' - a collective group of people commonly motivated by the desire for ownership of land. And the myth was complete - patriotism had infested human minds like an epidemic plague.
It may have grown out of the business of land but patriotism was certainly elevated in status by the mystical aura that grew out of man's fervent ardour for the irrational. The tag of righteousness was soon attached to the ism and popular leaders, playwrights, and others with the power to influence carried it to mythical proportions until it came to be regarded as a most proper and dignified emotion.
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HAKE3 08
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Re: Patriotism
August 11, 2005 @ 08:26 AM
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Sure Dodder, you are right...Patriotism is the modern form of the medieval European feudalism, and it has spreaded everywhere, dividing the human race by imaginary borders.
I am deeply convinced by what Socrates said on the occasion of the "Anniversary of Athens", when he was asked why he was not happy...he replied: " My country is not Athens, but the World". Since then, he figured out that humanity is one race, and that's the point to begin with...Everything else is the result of selfish interests.
I truly like what Islam says about that...when considering that humanity has one root: Adam and Eve, and that "People are as equal before God as the teeth of a brush", and that " No preference of an Arab over a non-Arab except by the fear from God"...meaning that only God has the right to decide who's better than whom, and not us.
From among the companions of Muhammad (s), was Bilal the Abyssinian-a slave who was set free by Muhammad's companion Abu Bakr-, Salman the Perisan, and lots of people belonging to formerly-enemy Arab tribes such as the Aws and the Khazraj tribes, moreover, by this time, treaties were signed with Jews, Christians, and Sabeans, tor regulate their relationship with the Muslim community in Medina and the rest of the Arab peninsula, it was a message for all humanity, with no distinction.
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Anu Jaanu
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Re: Patriotism
August 14, 2005 @ 02:25 AM
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And let's not forget, Patriotism also helps sell the Army to the common folk. Since the army needs some sort of great incentive to get people to sign up and get shipped off to war, they use 'patriotism' to lure people in.
It's very obvious now more than ever. Just look at the Army commercials on t.v. that are now aimed at hispanics and other racial minorities, using 'patriotism' to get them to join and get sent off to war for a country that's really NOT their own (since many people still would consider their motherland as their homeland no matter if they were actually born here...)
And Patriotism has definitely been exaggerated and exploited by the army since that's all they can basically rely on to suck you in to sign your own death certificate!
- MMeX
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Marco
Joined: Aug 18, 2005
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Please, DIVYA-WE
August 18, 2005 @ 08:31 AM
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inspiration is never a problem. but people who reflect the history and todays meaning of patriotism, we should really be about to get rid of it (the same with religion > see also my thread "humans have to believe" . to get inspired by the idea of the ONE world is far more better. at least to do something about the situation always means to start in her/his village or town (neighbourhood).
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Azira Aziz
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Re: Patriotism
September 1, 2005 @ 01:01 AM
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I would like to say my two cents, but before I relieve myself of my views, my words are merely my opinions, and that I stand corrected so kindly don't take it too unkindly.
It is so stupid to feel proud of a geographical land mass, you ask?
Why did the Arab-Israeli war went on non-stop since 1948 then? What is up with the American pride/dream? Why is Kashmir still under dispute? Why did all the commonwealth i.e ex-British colonies fought so bloody hard against the empire? Why did the Serbs and Croations fought so fiercely during the Bosnia-Hezerkovina (sorry about the spelling) conflict? Why the heck did East Timor put up such an aggressive fight? Why did Aceh made this huge fuss about seperatism?
Patriotism over a piece of immovable land isn't merely about the land itself, it is about the sentimental values attached to that particular dirt beneath your feet. When humans evolve, when our values and cultures change, when the sun continues its circle and the moon would appear and dimm the land stays. When the food on your table comes from the soil you toiled in for hours on end, when your children plays on the land, when dreams were made and futures planned, when your festivals and prayers were made on bent knees or forehead pressed down to the earth and when, most of all, men have died defending the land of which your people have owned and stayed since generations before.
Saying patriotism is there, embedded deep within our hearts, whether we realize it or not is an understatement.
It's one helluva good reason to fight for, in any case.
It's been exploited, yes, but its true import or value's more valuable than life itself. We have a proverb in Malay "Takkan Melayu hilang di dunia"; "The Malays will never dissapear from the face of the earth." You will find its equivilent in other various forms as well.
Btw, the idea for a world government is highly impractical. Considering (the most recent example) that EU couldn't even get France and the Dutch to agree with the new constitution, and considering that nobody really obliges the UN Charter, it's near impossible. And that's merely speculating on the 'peaceful negotiations' and non-military tactic on achieving this particular end.
Let's just not start on having some superpowers who already messed up, manipulated, and blatantly ignored international law when it suited them start another world war to achieve this end as well.
P.s : 31st Aughust is my country's Independence Day, you can tell that I'm proud, despite the fact that I think that the gov's a bit too autocratic for comfort.
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Yossarian
Joined: Aug 9, 2005
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Unable to agree
September 1, 2005 @ 08:37 AM
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That is untrue. Using any theory as positive inspiration is a very dangerous deal.In no time then Orwells 1984 will come to reality. We need to dare to question existing beliefs..even if they bear tags of righteousness.
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Open to critisism as always
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