Comments on: Are You A Patriot?

By: vedapushpa

vedapushpa — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 01:26:25 +0000

Yes – Karen ! Sentiment of Patriotism political will certainly gets discounted for any individual who gets ‘victimized’ due to a wrongful Political Act – national or international.

Well – that can happen [hopefullly not] again in the chosen changed National status. And as individualas mature into trans-social personal level of existence … then either cultural or the political nationalism does not matter in particular as he/she would have mentally become a ‘citizen of the world’.

But – for the Fighting Force in particular — a political distortion or frustration in his/her patriotic sentiment causes a real trauma.

Thanks for taking the ‘discussion’ further.

Wish You Justice and Peace and Joy !!

vedapushpa

By: Karen

Karen — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 20:15:21 +0000

And, I meant to add: Since leaving the States, I’ve acquired a much more objective view of the US. I wonder if objectivity can coexist with patriotism.

By: Karen

Karen — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 19:52:20 +0000

vedapushpa, I have to disagree. I was born in the US and gave up my US citizenship 50 years later when Bush invaded Iraq. I have lived in Canada for over 15 years and have been a citizen for 6. I feel quite a bit of pride in Canada. I can’t say I have any feelings of pride towards the US. And, I know I am not alone. There are many ex-Americans and American expats here (many since the Vietnam war), who feel the same as I do. Just my two cents…

By: vedapushpa

vedapushpa — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 15:05:55 +0000

Patriotism actualizes as intent subjecive-feelings as both ‘Nationalism’ and ‘Nativism… and as such if one gets to live on land other than his birth-place… he/she will surely be a proud citizen of the land of adoption – Nationalistc that is – but he/she will continue to be culturally/communally patriotic only interms of his/her land of Birth.

Hence – given a great deal of dual-natinalism of the presentday nations… the individuals therein necessarily would be members of two nations – the larger political and the smaller communal-cultural.

vedapushpa
social anthropologist
Bangalore – India

By: Tim Brownson

Tim Brownson — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 20:36:59 +0000

@ Karen – I agree, the quote “Travel broadens the mind” is bang on. I can remember years and years ago having a conversation in a pub and saying all the most open-minded easy going people I knew had traveled extensively. I’m not sure of the accuracy of a drunken conversation 20 years ago, but it seems relevant. Thanks for dropping by!

By: Karen

Karen — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 03:04:29 +0000

Nice post! I think patriotism becomes a lesser issue the more you travel. I’m not sure how I ended up here but it was meant to be… It’s a bit of an issue up here with us in Canada every time we hear an American President exclaim that the US is the best country in the world. Personally, I used to be an American and I quite like Canada. :-) I may have to read you more often.

By: Vlad Dolezal

Vlad Dolezal — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 23:44:38 +0000

I had a funny feeling reading your first paragraph, because I just recently wrote a post on my blog called "3 Simple Things I Love About The UK." (Well, actually, the idea started like that. Then it evolved into how listing 3 simple things about any particular area of your life is a great exercise to do when you're bored...) As for the patriotism - I never realized how stupidly patriotic I was until I first moved to a foreign country. The thing is, I wasn't openly or actively patriotic. It was just those... little habits of thoughts, and things we would say to each other with friends. Hard to explain really, but I think you will understand what I mean. Vlad Dolezals last blog post..IR Goggles

By: Tim Brownson

Tim Brownson — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 14:05:54 +0000

@ Ian – I agree regarding the army. I think because patriotism is so ingrained at an early age, most people never think to question its legitimacy or usefulness.

@ James – Yeh, nuff said ;-)