Patriotism is curable.....yes it is..you may leave any time you wish and never have to deal with it again,
if this country's freedoms and benifits don't suit you you can find another country that better suits your needs and I'm sure no patriotic American would mind.
Godfather.
+1
I'd agree with you if we had another conversation. Maybe you misunderstood the topic of this thread. It's not about disagreeing with the (politics, culture or whatsoever of the) country you're living in or picking on US patriotism (since I wasn't born in the US nor do I live there). It is about patriotism in general as - when saying that it's curable - a disease...that has spread worldwide since...yeah, since when? ... Maybe I call it I(S)DS - Identity (and self-confidence) Deficiency Syndrome. At least, patriotism is a symptom of that.
I didn't misunderstand it at all. I think patriotism - in general - is ignorant. I don't care what country we're talking about. People shouldn't really feel pride for a geographic area or overly attached to it emotionally that they wouldn't leave if they decided it wasn't for them.
I would also make the point that you can tie this in to jobs that leave our country to go somewhere else. People always bitch and moan about that, but that's really just another form of patriotism. As long as it wasn't YOUR JOB, who cares what person on this earth has it?
The only people we should try to get even with...
...are those who've helped us.
Right 'round the corner could be bigger than ourselves.
talked to a military guy who absolutely believes an innocent American is more important than 100,000 innocent people from another country.
I asked if given the choice between killing more 100,000 innocent people from any other country, or one American, you would kill them first?
answer...... abosolutely.
You can be proud of where you are from, your school, your city, county, country etc....
but when it affects your brain to that extent, patriotism becomes cancer.
This post struck me and perhaps I need to think about it more...but it seems like pride (in most forms) is socially verboten and frowned upon by many. OK when applied to self but not to country? Aren't both happenstance?
Not baiting, just sincerely want to understand this.
And damn, Smelly...you actually asked that question of someone? Not sure if I'd have the drothers to do so. Gotta digest that one for a bit.
talked to a military guy who absolutely believes an innocent American is more important than 100,000 innocent people from another country.
I asked if given the choice between killing more 100,000 innocent people from any other country, or one American, you would kill them first?
answer...... abosolutely.
You can be proud of where you are from, your school, your city, county, country etc....
but when it affects your brain to that extent, patriotism becomes cancer.
This post struck me and perhaps I need to think about it more...but it seems like pride (in most forms) is socially verboten and frowned upon by many. OK when applied to self but not to country? Aren't both happenstance?
Not baiting, just sincerely want to understand this.
And damn, Smelly...you actually asked that question of someone? Not sure if I'd have the drothers to do so. Gotta digest that one for a bit.
I said you CAN be proud of where you are from.
We were talking about politics and it was a long conversation (he is also a friend). That questioin wasn't out of the blue.
talked to a military guy who absolutely believes an innocent American is more important than 100,000 innocent people from another country.
I asked if given the choice between killing more 100,000 innocent people from any other country, or one American, you would kill them first?
answer...... abosolutely.
You can be proud of where you are from, your school, your city, county, country etc....
but when it affects your brain to that extent, patriotism becomes cancer.
This post struck me and perhaps I need to think about it more...but it seems like pride (in most forms) is socially verboten and frowned upon by many. OK when applied to self but not to country? Aren't both happenstance?
Not baiting, just sincerely want to understand this.
And damn, Smelly...you actually asked that question of someone? Not sure if I'd have the drothers to do so. Gotta digest that one for a bit.
I said you CAN be proud of where you are from.
We were talking about politics and it was a long conversation (he is also a friend). That questioin wasn't out of the blue.
I saw the "can" but as happens sometimes, read it differently. Thank you for the clarification.
Comments
I didn't misunderstand it at all. I think patriotism - in general - is ignorant. I don't care what country we're talking about. People shouldn't really feel pride for a geographic area or overly attached to it emotionally that they wouldn't leave if they decided it wasn't for them.
I would also make the point that you can tie this in to jobs that leave our country to go somewhere else. People always bitch and moan about that, but that's really just another form of patriotism. As long as it wasn't YOUR JOB, who cares what person on this earth has it?
...are those who've helped us.
Right 'round the corner could be bigger than ourselves.
I agree....those martians better think twice before they inavde us!
Now please, be kind when you talk about my fellow extra-terrestrial Martians. I promise we will only invade your minds.
-Eddie Vedder, "Smile"
Ok, Great Gazzoo!
I asked if given the choice between killing more 100,000 innocent people from any other country, or one American, you would kill them first?
answer...... abosolutely.
You can be proud of where you are from, your school, your city, county, country etc....
but when it affects your brain to that extent, patriotism becomes cancer.
Not baiting, just sincerely want to understand this.
And damn, Smelly...you actually asked that question of someone? Not sure if I'd have the drothers to do so. Gotta digest that one for a bit.
I said you CAN be proud of where you are from.
We were talking about politics and it was a long conversation (he is also a friend). That questioin wasn't out of the blue.