Patriotism Is Bad

[Ascended]

Children are taught in every country to be patriot about their homeland. I think in many places this is overdone and this is a bad thing.

First of all, patriotism is what leads to over inflated egos and opinions about one's country. Then, these kids with over inflated opionions about their own countries think it's the best country and will "gloriously" fight for it and die for it. NO one really cares if you die on the battlefield. You are insignificant and you are forgotten and the country can live up to it's enormous ego for a bit longer before it needs another war to prove it's so good.

Patriotism is what causes wars and conflicts. It's synonomous with over-inflated pride and ego of one's country and is bad.

I was born in Taiwan and I like my country - I would like to help improve it, but that is very different from patriotism.

One day there will be a world without borders. We will live as one. But for now, BLIND, STUPID, PATRIOTISM we feed into our young mind in all countries.

[MuShrOomBastard]

I agree, patriotism is bad,

Patriotism is your conviction that this country is superior to all other countries because you were born in it.
-George Bernard Shaw

[specimen56]

Overly patriotic is bad. I am proud of my british history, especially within my own family- that is not to say that I think Britain is better than every other country.
It would be better if we dropped all borders, held our neighbours hands and sang 'imagine', or 'Kum-buy-yah' (yeh, I don't know how to spell it). However the chances of that happening in our life times are slim to nil I'd say.
Sorry, straying a little there. Being proud of oneself for whatever reason is not nesseceraly a bad thing- its kind sad when the only thing or main thing that your proud of yourself about is that you were born somewhere- but like all things, if you keep yourself in check and not act negatively on that self-love then its perfectly fine.

[SpinTolk]

Everything too much is bad. Extreem patriotism is bad, extreem drinking is bad, extreem drug use is bad, etc...

but the normal use of everything is ok.

[lapslf]

Well yeah, i guess it's not harmful not to be ashamed of your country, but I can't think of one single country someone could be proud of. Every single country has done bad things in the past, and a lot of them are still doing bad stuff.

Besides, what the hell is a country? A country is nothing else then an official "us/them"-decleration. We are in this country, they are not. I mean, what exactly are you proud of? Your country's inhabitants, 99,999% of which you don't know. Your country's landscape? Your government? How can you be proud of a little chunk of land surrounded by borders? You didn't create it, you didn't contribute to it's existence, what't there to be proud of? The only way you can be proud of your country is by thinking it's superior to others.

[deathmonger666]

Patriotism is not all bad, I mean, it gained us our freedom,right?

[nXXt]

At 11/28/04 08:05 AM, deathmonger666 wrote: Patriotism is not all bad, I mean, it gained us our freedom,right?

Good point there. Although I do believe that TOO MUCH patriotism is bad, I think patriotism in a normal way is good. As Veggiemeal said, every country has done something bad in it's history (unless the country's history isn't that long). Almost every European country is guilty of slavery and killing Indians. Nevertheless, I'm proud of being Dutch, because I like living here and I'm proud of our history in general, whilst I fully realise that we've driven slaves and have done horrific things in South-Africa and Indonesia. I'm not proud of those facts, no. But I think that if you are proud of your country, you should know, acknowledge and realise the crimes that your country has commited in its history.

[FUNKbrs]

Patriotism is only bad if your country sucks, like, say, if it gets in a bunch of unnecessary wars that get it's citizens killed, for example.

I think everyone in Switzerland has a right to be patriotic. America and Taiwan no so much.

[deathmonger666]

At 11/28/04 09:48 AM, FUNKbrs wrote: I think everyone in Switzerland has a right to be patriotic. America and Taiwan no so much.

What do you mean by this?

[Tri-Nitro-Toluene]

I dont like patriotism really. ITs stupid. PAtirotism is the love of ones country for no other reason aprt from the fatc you were born there. If I were to ask a patriotic american anout why america is the greatest palce in the wrold they will come up with a load of things like freedom of speech etc which every MEDC country has. No country is better than another we are all equal in the world IMO.

[FUNKbrs]

At 11/28/04 10:21 AM, deathmonger666 wrote:
What do you mean by this?

Because the government of Switzerland doesn't waste the lives of their citizens in pointless wars. Switzerland is famous for its diplomacy and respect of its citizens, something the US and Taiwan can't claim.

A government that protects and serves its people is something to be proud of.

[Samuel-HALL]

At 11/28/04 06:37 AM, -Ascended- wrote: Children are taught in every country to be patriot about their homeland.

This is a good thing. A little bit of pride never hurt anyone.

I think in many places this is overdone and this is a bad thing.

In some places, it is. That doesn't mean all patriotism is bad.

First of all, patriotism is what leads to over inflated egos and opinions about one's country.

It MAY lead to that. Who's to say? Everyone is different.

Then, these kids with over inflated opionions about their own countries think it's the best country and will "gloriously" fight for it and die for it.

Yea...damn them for standing up for what they believe in, instead of just complaining about things on the internet...like the bulk of the youth does.

NO one really cares if you die on the battlefield.

I do. My family does. All my friends do. My teachers did. Our government does. Many regulars, here in the politics forum, do.
Stop pigeonholing.

You are insignificant and you are forgotten

Is that why we have veterans day?

Patriotism is what causes wars and conflicts. It's synonomous with over-inflated pride and ego of one's country and is bad.

You're speaking of nationalism. There's a huge difference between patriotism and nationalism.

One day there will be a world without borders.

Hopefully, there won't be.

We will live as one.

HAHAHA. Your utopian dreams amuse me.

[AntiangelicAngel]

Patriotism is a good thing. Except people are mistaking blind trust and fascism for it.
To announce that there must be no criticism of the president, or that we are to stand by the president, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public. -Teddy

[Proteas]

At 11/28/04 06:37 AM, -Ascended- wrote: One day there will be a world without borders. We will live as one. But for now, BLIND, STUPID, PATRIOTISM we feed into our young mind in all countries.

Oh look, a John Lennon clone. Little does he realize that most counties in this worl would sooner not exist than give up military might for peace.

[Maus]

Patriotism is okay.

Jingoism is not.

[TitusRevised]

One day there will be a world without borders. We will live as one. But for now, BLIND, STUPID, PATRIOTISM we feed into our young mind in all countries.

what makes you think that?

[Montgomery-Scott]

Patriotisim and respect for your country and heritige is good. It helps preserve a sense of national unity, and dissolves racial and religious barriers by reminding everybody that you are all of the same nation. Jingoistic intolerance however, isn't. It leads to unnessacerry violence, hatred, and bloodshed.

[ShadowsFall]

At 11/28/04 06:37 AM, -Ascended- wrote: One day there will be a world without borders. We will live as one. But for now, BLIND, STUPID, PATRIOTISM we feed into our young mind in all countries.

Yes im sure you would like all borders to be desolved so that your poverty stricken country would benifit from western achievments. Yet my country the UK would gain nothing from this occurence so I would much rather keep my borders and my patriotism. You seem pretty confident your socialist idea of one world can exist- the truth of the matter is that the world would be consumed by nuclear fire before a drastic fantasy like that was ever created. So just keep on dreaming.

[nukechicken]

At 11/28/04 06:37 AM, -Ascended- wrote: Children are taught in every country to be patriot about their homeland. I think in many places this is overdone and this is a bad thing.

Yah I agree in alot of places this is overdone and it's not limited to country it's also a part of groups and whatever else. A good example is the KKK, but Patriotism is not neceserily bad it's when gtoups of people use it in bad way to target groups of people that's when It becomes bad.

First of all, patriotism is what leads to over inflated egos and opinions about one's country. Then, these kids with over inflated opionions about their own countries think it's the best country and will "gloriously" fight for it and die for it. NO one really cares if you die on the battlefield. You are insignificant and you are forgotten and the country can live up to it's enormous ego for a bit longer before it needs another war to prove it's so good.

Ahhh Overinflated egos no Pride yes but yah I agree with you pretty much here as Patriotism does cause people to not look outward toward other countries and center mainly on themselves. Also I believe George Washington said something like this "This country is founded on Rebellion and every man should exorcise his rights given to him by this great country" You know the whole phrase during the Iraq war agianst the anti war protesters love it or leave it kinda undermines the sense this country was founded on. It doesn't matter because this country was founded on a false foundery of where everyone is free and equal but in actually they're not.

Patriotism is what causes wars and conflicts. It's synonomous with over-inflated pride and ego of one's country and is bad.

Yes Patriotism does cause war and conflict but that's not the only think stuff such as Bigotry and greed cause them too.

I was born in Taiwan and I like my country - I would like to help improve it, but that is very different from patriotism.

No it's not

patriotism

\Pa"tri*ot*ism\, n. [Cf. F. patriotisme.] Love of country; devotion to the welfare of one's country; the virtues and actions of a patriot; the passion which inspires one to serve one's country. --Berkley.

One day there will be a world without borders. We will live as one. But for now, BLIND, STUPID, PATRIOTISM we feed into our young mind in all countries.

Keep dreaming because humans are naturally greedy bastards so alot more than others. World peace surely won't come with the human race.

[bcdemon]

This planet SAW total peace, This planet WAS a world without borders.

Then humans came along and screwed it up. And the fact that people will pledge thier allegiance to a flag is proof that those borders will never cease to exist now.

[EvilGovernmentAgents]

At 11/28/04 10:48 AM, FUNKbrs wrote: Because the government of Switzerland doesn't waste the lives of their citizens in pointless wars, something:

That the vast majority of the world cannot claim.

Although would a government that could treat other nations or peoples in a civil manner be something to be proud of?

[XwaynecoltX]

At 11/28/04 06:37 AM, -Ascended- wrote: Children are taught in every country to be patriot about their homeland. I think in many places this is overdone and this is a bad thing.

Nothing wrong about being proud of your country and ejoying certain days of your country though i mean we all do that...

~X~

[I-am-Iron-Man]

At 11/29/04 10:35 AM, bcdemon wrote: This planet SAW total peace, This planet WAS a world without borders.

Maybe 65,000,000 years ago.

Then humans came along and screwed it up. And the fact that people will pledge thier allegiance to a flag is proof that those borders will never cease to exist now.

You're prejudiced against humans.

[mrpopenfresh]

Patritotism is good, and happens to meet the humans need of belonging.

But too much patriotism is bad thing... pretty much like anything in excess.

[Demosthenez]

Escuse me while I laugh at all this idealist bullshit. Utopia is a book, not a reality.

[Memorize]

I dont think patriotism is bad. I think the greatest country is the US because i was born in America and i havent been in any other country. My dad on the other hand was raised in Africa (no, im not black (im not trying to sound racist so sorry if i offended anyone)), and he always like it there better than the US. Patriotism isnt a bad thing, it could be a good thing, it only bad when people like to use it incorrectly.

[Mr-Blue-Sky]

"I think this i think that" it makes me sick get some beliefs and be willing to die for them. LEDCs just aint patriotic enough then again they aint got alot to celabrate HA! if there was no patriotism we would have not defeated the rise of an evil dictator. all the most loved people in history were patriots Winston Churchill, Ghandi, roosevelt, George washington, Isenhower etc. LOVE YOUR COUNTRY!!!!

[Maus]

Patriotism -

1 - Love of and devotion to one's country.
2 - Love of country; devotion to the welfare of one's country; the virtues and actions of a patriot; the passion which inspires one to serve one's country.
3 - love of country and willingness to sacrifice for it.

Jingoism -

1 - Extreme nationalism characterized especially by a belligerent foreign policy; chauvinistic patriotism.
2 - The policy of the Jingoes, so called.
3 - n 1: an appeal intended to arouse patriotic emotions [syn: flag waving] 2: fanatical patriotism [syn: chauvinism, superpatriotism, ultranationalism]

"Too much patriotism" has a word.

[mrpopenfresh]

At 11/29/04 07:16 PM, The_Patriot wrote: "I think this i think that" it makes me sick get some beliefs and be willing to die for them. LEDCs just aint patriotic enough then again they aint got alot to celabrate HA! if there was no patriotism we would have not defeated the rise of an evil dictator.

all the most loved people in history were patriots

Well you have to be if you want to be a national hero.

Ghandi

Gandhi was a South African who lived a good part of his life in Brittain. He went to fight the oppression in India because it was what he taught was right.

[Ascended]

At 11/29/04 06:44 PM, mrpopenfresh wrote: Patritotism is good, and happens to meet the humans need of belonging.

But too much patriotism is bad thing... pretty much like anything in excess.

But remember, there are millions of refugees worldwide who don't belong anywhere. Where are they to belong?

Ok if there is such thing as a good patriot, I think who should not only be patriotic to our own countries but to everyone around the world. Treat other as would you would like others to treat you.