Patriotism and Nationalism

[Tails Turrosaki]

I'm going to start off by saying I'm in no way patriotic (as the members of TAF should already know).
However, do I hate America? No. I'm just not proud of it.

Now, are YOU patriotic? Nationalistic? Do you want people to be proud of your country, or do you let them do whatever? What do you think the line is between patriotism and nationalism?

This whole thread is open for debate between patriotism and nationalism.

Discuss.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

I've given body parts for my country.

[Tails Turrosaki]

I've given body parts for my country.

Ouch.

[Feck]

I love patriotic nationalists IME scratch the surface and they are mostly sexist racist homophobes . I did nothing to make Britain Great ,but never sold slaves or Butt Raped a continent or two .
I'm sort of glad I'm British , I like living in Scotland . MEH

[Tails Turrosaki]

I love patriotic nationalists IME scratch the surface and they are mostly sexist racist homophobes . I did nothing to make Britain Great ,but never sold slaves or Butt Raped a continent or two .
I'm sort of glad I'm British , I like living in Scotland . MEH

This is what I can relate to... Except I'm not glad to be American.

[Pappa]

I sometimes come across like a Welsh nationalist, but I'm not. I dislike patriotism when it verges into self-aggrandisment on a national scale and I dislike nationalism as it's petty and divisive.

[Thinking Aloud]

Exhibit A

The Patriotic Ice Cream Cone Wrapper.

Photo 71.jpg

Just in case you'd forgotten which country you were in at the time you bought it.

[klr]

Exhibit A

The Patriotic Ice Cream Cone Wrapper.

Photo 71.jpg

Just in case you'd forgotten which country you were in at the time you bought it.

It doesn't have enough stars!

[owtth]

I'm only patriotic when it comes to sporting occasions. Very few sporting occasions

[Animavore]

Most Irish people are nationalistic but only a few take it seriously, the 'RA heads and the trad heads (not mutually exclusive). Irish-Americans are more nationalistic than we are (amusingly so).

[Gawdzilla Sama]

I sometimes come across like a Welsh nationalist, but I'm not. I dislike patriotism when it verges into self-aggrandisment on a national scale and I dislike nationalism as it's petty and divisive.

I would agree if you modify that to say "UNTHINKING patriotism" and "UNTHINKING nationalism". Both attitudes can be advantageous if they're based on rational considerations.

[Feck]

Jackson Brown .....For America

By all I know is right
We're going to reap what we have sown
As if freedom was a question of might
As if loyalty was black and white
You hear people say all the time--"My country wrong or right"
I want to know what that's got to do
With what it takes to find out what's true.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Nationalism can be "My country is always right" or it can be "My country is a mess and needs help." Or both or something in between.

Patriotism can be "My country will always win any war" or it can be "My country is worth my attention and support."

Education, as is so often the case, may be the key here.

[Link]

I'm happy that I was lucky enough to be born in England and not somewhere more dangerous or where I would have a much shorter life expectancy or where religion was something that was particularily hard to escape without serious repercussions (i'm looking at you in particular muslim theocracies!)

But I don't feel overly patriotic and certainly wouldn't consider myself nationalistic.... the image that nationalism calls up in a lot of people's minds is Xenophobia, racism (certainly where I come from) and that's not something I can ever align myself with.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

I'm happy that I was lucky enough to be born in England and not somewhere more dangerous or where I would have a much shorter life expectancy or where religion was something that was particularily hard to escape without serious repercussions (i'm looking at you in particular muslim theocracies!)

So, you exhibit some nationalism and patriotism.

But I don't feel overly patriotic and certainly wouldn't consider myself nationalistic.... the image that nationalism calls up in a lot of people's minds is Xenophobia, racism (certainly where I come from) and that's not something I can ever align myself with.

The negative images come from the '60s, I think, when anything that sounded even vaguely "pro-war" was supposed to guarantee that you'd never get laid.