Are you patriotic?
NewSystem
Posts: 15
“I do not believe in patriotism. It is an opium innovated by the politicians to serve their ugly ends. It is for their prosperity. It is for their betterment. It is for their aggrandizement. It is never for the country. It is never for the nation. It is never never for common men and women like you and I. .*.*. This sinister politician-invented wall shall divide man from man—and brother from brother; till one day it shall bring about man’s doom by man. Patriotism or nationalism, to my mind, is an idiotic exercise in artificial loyalty. .*.*. I take no hypocritical pride in being petty this or that. I belong to mankind.”
Taken from a letter to the editor Bombay's "Indian Express."
Taken from a letter to the editor Bombay's "Indian Express."
Truth is incontrovertible
Panic may resent it
Ignorance may deride it
Mailice may distort it
But there it is
Got to the source- www.watchtower.org
Panic may resent it
Ignorance may deride it
Mailice may distort it
But there it is
Got to the source- www.watchtower.org
Post edited by Unknown User on
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Having said that I'm not blind. I'm pretty good at levelling criticism at Australia when I feel it's warranted and I'm very good at seeing when my "patriotism" and "nationalism" is being used by or hijacked by the government for its own ends.
So yeah, I consider myself as belonging to humankind, but there are particular things about being Australian that culturally make me different to the rest of the world and I have no problem with celebrating those things.
*~You're IT Bert!~*
Hold on to the thread
The currents will shift
i agree
Culture is very different from patriotism and can only add to the richness of society.
Panic may resent it
Ignorance may deride it
Mailice may distort it
But there it is
Got to the source- www.watchtower.org
It's interesting what the Bible says that ties in with the sentiments of the quoted above.
“For a certainty I perceive that God is not partial, *but in every nation the man that fears him and works righteousness is acceptable to him." -Acts 10:34, 35.
Panic may resent it
Ignorance may deride it
Mailice may distort it
But there it is
Got to the source- www.watchtower.org
http://www.myspace.com/brain_of_c
Yeah, so can patriotism. I didn't misunderstand the question or the subject.
I just don't agree with the op where the writer seems to think that people are so stupid that they are unable to see when they are being manipulated by their government. And I completely disagree that patriotism was invented by governments. I'm fairly certain that people here felt an afinity to this country and its values and opportunities LONG before any government stepped forward and tried to whip us into a patriotic frenzy.
*~You're IT Bert!~*
Hold on to the thread
The currents will shift
take a good look
this could be the day
hold my hand
lie beside me
i just need to say
Patriotism denotes positive and supportive attitudes to a 'fatherland' (Latin patria < Greek patris, πατρίς), by individuals and groups. The 'fatherland' (or 'motherland') can be a region or a city, but patriotism usually applies to a nation and/or a nation-state. Patriotism covers such attitudes as: pride in its achievements and culture, the desire to preserve its character and the basis of the culture, and identification with other members of the nation. Patriotism is closely associated with nationalism, and is often used as a synonym for it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patriotism
Nationalism
Nationalism is a term that refers to a doctrine[1] or political movement[2] that holds that a nation—usually defined in terms of ethnicity or culture—has the right to constitute an independent or autonomous political community based on a shared history and common destiny.[3]
The starting point of nationalism is the existence of nations, which it takes as a given. Nations are typically seen as entities with a long history: most nationalists do not believe a nation can be created artificially. Nationalist movements see themselves as the representative of an existing, centuries-old nation. However, some theories of nationalism imply the reverse order - that the nationalist movements created the sense of national identity, and then a political unit corresponding to it, or that an existing state promoted a 'national' identity for itself.
Nationalists see nations as an inclusive categorisation of human beings - assigning every individual to one specific nation. In fact, nationalism sees most human activity as national in character. Nations have national symbols, a national culture, a national music and national literature; national folklore, a national mythology and - in some cases - a national religion. Individuals share national values and a national identity, admire the national hero, eat the national dish and play the national sport.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nationalism
That pretty much sums it up for me on both Patriotism and Nationalism.
My attitude is basically that we are all here in Australia from different lands with different cultures but we need to combine our efforts and all should share the common goal of being inclusive, loyal to our home, tolerant and considerate and positive in our loyalty to our countrymen and their birth culture. From my perspective it also helps if you have a healthy disregard for the government of the day BUT I wouldn't consider that a must.
I find it interesting that in the initial post the writer uses the term "mankind" effectively ignoring half the world population but hey, who's gonna quibble about a little bit of sexism when there's a bigger issue at hand? :rolleyes:
*~You're IT Bert!~*
Hold on to the thread
The currents will shift
i would .
take a good look
this could be the day
hold my hand
lie beside me
i just need to say
And the river opens for the righteous, someday
I was walking with my brother
And he wondered what was on my mind
I said what I believe in my soul
It ain't what I see with my eyes
And we can't turn our backs this time
I am a patriot and I love my country
Because my country is all I know
I want to be with my family
With people who understand me
I got nowhere else to go
I am a patriot
And the river opens for the righteous, someday
I was talking with my sister
She looked so fine
I said baby what's on your mind
She said I want to run like the lion
Released from the cages
Released from the rages
Burning in my heart tonight
I am a patriot and I love my country
Because my country is all I know
And I ain't no communist, and I ain't no capitalist
And I ain't no socialist
and I sure ain't no imperialist
And I ain't no democrat
And I ain't no republican either
And I only know one party
and its name is freedom
I am a patriot
And the river opens for the righteous, someday
steve van zandt as well.
take a good look
this could be the day
hold my hand
lie beside me
i just need to say
der!
Now ssshhh! I'm trying to be serious!
*~You're IT Bert!~*
Hold on to the thread
The currents will shift
Patriotism only takes on a bad spin when it is turned into a form of brain washing and is used as propaganda to convince or force you to go against your personal beliefs and morals in order to 'Make your country proud'
This pretty much echoes what I've thought for awhile.
I like my country and feel blessed to liver here, but I think nationalism and patriotism are very bad things.
...are those who've helped us.
Right 'round the corner could be bigger than ourselves.
I, purely by choice, don't live in the country I was born and raised, and never intend to return live there if I have a choice. There's some things from there I'm proud of, many more I'm not.
I love the place I am now, but there's plenty of things I don't like too, and I can't swear I won't find somewhere better to live (Portugal looks like a nice place to retire to
When I hear Patriot, I see someone waving a flag, hands on heart at an anthem, marching to a drum beat, going to war for some politician's greed or ambition.
I'm very proud of NOT being a patriot!
I'll take the side of whoever I think is right; I will hope and try to work for and vote so it's my country that is, but if it's not, I will not side unconditionally for it.
As far as I can see most people care about their community and their country and the people of their country. Just because governments and spin doctors are attempting to hijack that and make it a negative thing does not make it so.
So in the real sense of the term, I consider myself a patriot. To not be would be a kick in the teeth to all the little people that struggled, toiled, fled to safety, left behind the negativity of their previous existence to come together here in this country and work toward a fair and reasonable integrated society. Just because my stinking government likes to trade on that in a negative fashion is no reason to sit back and let them hijack it.
*~You're IT Bert!~*
Hold on to the thread
The currents will shift
but thats probably not the textbook definitions.
Nationalists see nations as an inclusive categorisation of human beings - assigning every individual to one specific nation. In fact, nationalism sees most human activity as national in character. Nations have national symbols, a national culture, a national music and national literature; national folklore, a national mythology and - in some cases - a national religion. Individuals share national values and a national identity, admire the national hero, eat the national dish and play the national sport.
I mostly agreed with this explanation. Except for the being "assigned" and maybe not so much on the national sport and hero worshipping! But that's because I'm completely over AFL!
*~You're IT Bert!~*
Hold on to the thread
The currents will shift
I like the things that make my country unique and great, but it doesn't go as far as celebrating those things. I love my country and I'm very glad I was born here, but I think I'd feel the same way if I were born somewhere else...
So I guess I'm not really a patriot. Lots of people here aren't I think, at least not as extreme as in the US.
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