Is Patriotism Really a Good Thing?

Aren't we all human beings first and foremost? Why do we spend day after day criticizing the government, display outrage when they send us to wars that we deem immoral, complain about the liberties they have been gradually stripped from us, or discuss the negative aspects of the hierarchical structure that is currently implemented throughout the world, yet at the same time, we turn around and wave our nations flag proudly in some sort of misguided sense of patriotism or nationalism?

What is the point, really? What is there to be truly proud of? Any human achievement throughout history has had nothing to do with ones country of origin. If borders that separated humanity never existed, do you honestly believe that everything the human race has accomplished would never have occurred?

Why do we willingly choose to separate ourselves when unison would be far more beneficial to our species? Imagine what we could accomplish if we worked together? The sky would be the limit.

I often wonder if we were deliberately divided by powerful individuals many centuries ago in order to easily conquer us.

Patriotism leads to more violence because the citizenry are more easily persuaded to pick up a weapon and defend their way of life in combat against the citizenry of other nations who have been indoctrinated in to believing the very same thing.

Patriotism also enables a government to control their citizens far more easily.

After all, a patriotic individual is far less likely to question the actions of the body that governs them. Why would they? They are proud to be an (" insert country of origin here") They proudly display their nations flag. For what purpose I am not quite certain. They even go so far as to pledge an allegiance! If that isn't a sure sign of brainwashing and indoctrination, I don't know what is.

Patriotism, nationalism, is doing far more harm than good on this planet in my opinion. All one has to do is take a look at our past and our present to see that.

Perhaps one day humanity will evolve to the point in which we all work together in unison without imaginary lines separating us.

Thanks for reading. Please share your thoughts.

Well,we didn't create the situation at hand are ancestors did.

We are just trying to deal with it the best our advanced modern mind can.

It is you know human nature to be this way.

If borders and countries did not exist them there would be what has existed since man huddle together in caves.Tribes.

Groups of related or familiar people grouped together for safety,security and a common desire to protect their family.

It is the basic animalistic instinct.

We are after first and foremost all just that.

Animals.

If borders that separated humanity never existed, do you honestly believe that everything the human race has accomplished would never have occurred?

Well,probably fire would still have been discovered.

I personally believe that if all races and nationality's had stayed where they are from,belong and attempted to change their society instead of running away from tyranny.

The world would be a better place to day.

Every living thing including humans belong, where their species or race is originally are native, to for a reason.

Man has introduce plant ,animal and insect species to different parts of the world and it has wrecked have on the existing situation.

There is a reason things lived where they are native to.

Earth was in a balance then.(Gosh,I think I just paraphrased Al Gore.)

Patriotism is an excuse to take credit for things you had nothing to do with, and hate people you never met.. doug stanhope said something similar and he couldn't be more correct.

The world we live in, from countries, monetary systems, religion, celebrities, to political parties, is looking more and more (to me) to be engineered so a chosen few can rule & manipulate the masses.

The flag is colored cloth on a stick, nations are lines other people drew on a map.. we all are just human beings who want to live a long happy life.

Patriotism is better than ethnic or religious chauvinism, because it brings together people of different bloods and beliefs in a social arrangement that is greater than themselves. However, its purpose, like all chauvinisms, is to protect insiders from outsiders and exalt them over the latter.

Let's hope for a day when society has evolved enough for us to abolish nation-states became patriotic citizens, all alike, of planet Earth.

Originally posted by Astyanax

Let's hope for a day when society has evolved enough for us to abolish nation-states became patriotic citizens, all alike, of planet Earth.

I already feel a sense of patriotism for all peoples and cultures of Earth.

Maybe it is because I am an American, and my heritage is so mixed and varied.

By blood I am a huge mix.

I am not fond of large overbearing massive governmental structures though, and that is why I am so cautious and skeptical of a worldwide uniform government.

reply to post by Astyanax


I agree with your sentiment and hopes completely. I just can't buy that any particular superiority exists between competing ideologies when the effects are the same for humans (divisive). Wild-eyed idealism and fervor isn't a particularly evolved methodology IMO.

gj

Sure, Patriotism sucks. People placing imaginary lines along the ground, and sayin, Hey you! Don't cross this line or we will fight against you. This is mine, not yours. All that sort of stuff.

But, I have my couple of acres I bought. I plant my garden there and my grandkids play there. I guess everyone else who wants my little plot of land should be able to settle in and do with it as they please? Nope,

Okay, we are all humans. This is our collective Earth. I guess a bear has no say in this. Heh.

So, someday another race of folks come from the sky and say to us, well, we want the Earth, too. You gotta share it. Um, yeah, we would all say, Okay!

Of course not. We'll say, "Hey, stay on your own planet!"

It's all family, then tribal, then country, then eventually, maybe planetary.

"Come on baby, we ain't nothing but mammals. Let's do it like they do on the Discovery Channel." lol
Animals have territories and will fight to the death to protect their territory.

It's human nature, it's animal nature and I suspect it's interplanetary critters universal nature.

Maybe you get my drift?

Once you become a spiritual being, then there is no need for borders and such things, because you will be able to coexist in the same space.

Meanwhile, get your butt out of my yard, you are walking on my flowers and lettuce and peas.

I cant believe what I am reading here.
Are you folks on crack???
Leading us into the NWO???
I don't want to be a member of the world.
The new world is evil and filled with
greed and hate and the big boss
has a mark he cant get rid of.
No thanks, no mark for me.
I want to be an American.
My daddy was, my grandaddy was
and for 5 generations before him.
I will do what is necessary to free myself
and others from this evil tyranny
we live in. And it don't mean a hill of beans
whether or not we were part of
the first American Revolution.
That war gave us the foundation
to create a new way of life.
A life that is prosperous and
free from evil. Yet in 1933,
evil men did the unthinkable
and corrupted this great nation.
And we have been on the wrong road
ever since. It's called the highway
to hell. And it's one I don't
intend to take.

Burn me at the stake for being
a Christian, I don't care cuz I know
I have something waiting on me
far greater than what you have waiting
for you. I read the end of the book
and it says you lose.

You guys make it sound as if it's
all gonna be peaches and cream
where you're going. Well if ur a Rothschild
or Bilderburg type, then it probably will
be peaches and cream. But I won't
be your slave. I'd rather die first.
I have Christian American Pride
and this blood is thicker
than your water any day.

reply to post by Isosceles


I agree with you on some points, that being that the government does use patriotism as a weapon of influence, and we are all human beings first and formost. But patriotism is a way to acknowledge the country of heritage, the country to which you call your home. Patriotism can be used in both positive and negative ways.

reply to post by Astyanax


I like that idea, although for now Im proud to own my patch of land here.

Originally posted by Southern Guardian
reply to post by Isosceles

 

I agree with you on some points, that being that the government does use patriotism as a weapon of influence, and we are all human beings first and formost. But patriotism is a way to acknowledge the country of heritage, the country to which you call your home. Patriotism can be used in both positive and negative ways.

And just for the record could you tell us what the positive and negative ways are. I am curious I would love to hear your take on it.

reply to post by Subjective Truth


Negative, using patriotism as a way to justify a war.

Negative, using patriotism to put down people of other nations, cultures, ethnicities.

Positive, using patriotism to acknowledge your heritage.

Positive, using patriotism as a means to serve your country.

Patriotism in the form of extreme nationalism that we have seen an explosion of on ATS recently can be a very dangerous thing...

Nationalism like this was one of the reasons the Nazi Party rose to power in pre-WW2 Germany and eventually inflicted what they did on Europe...

reply to post by boondock-saint

I have Christian American Pride
and this blood is thicker
than your water any day.

I don't get how Christianity comes into it. What about Jewish American pride? Is that different? Is Roman Catholic American pride the same thing as Christian American pride or is that, too, a different brand of patriotism? Can there be such a thing as Muslim American pride? Voodoo American pride? Satanist American pride?

How about Native American pride, is that allowed?

Do you see what I'm getting at here, or -

I don't want to belong to the world

- don't you?

*

reply to post by Southern Guardian

Using patriotism as a means to serve your country.

Imagine there's no countries.

Patriotism certainly has its positive side; it can drive people to extraordinary efforts in pursuit of what is deemed the common good. But can it function, even in this potentially benign way, without the conviction that Our Lot are better than Their Lot?

Originally posted by muzzleflash

Originally posted by Astyanax

Let's hope for a day when society has evolved enough for us to abolish nation-states became patriotic citizens, all alike, of planet Earth.

I already feel a sense of patriotism for all peoples and cultures of Earth.

Maybe it is because I am an American, and my heritage is so mixed and varied.

By blood I am a huge mix.

I am not fond of large overbearing massive governmental structures though, and that is why I am so cautious and skeptical of a worldwide uniform government.

In regards to your comment regarding large overbearing governments, I couldn't agree with you more. I don't think I want a world government, when we can clearly see where their priorities currently lie.

My ideal version of a unified world would be a sytem in which we obviously worked together. It would be a system of equality and fairness for all. It would not consist of a corrupt, self serving government such as the current state of affairs.

Unique cultures wouldn't have to be abolished either. In countries where immigration exists, we can see that unique cultures still exist and thrive for that matter. Although, sadly, some people do not appreciate this. They believe that when one emmigrates to their country, the immigrant must toss aside the culture that they were accustomed to in their country of origin, and fully adopt the culture that exists within their newly adopted country of residence.

If only people could live and let live, and cast aside their fear of difference, a system like this could allow people of varying cultures and beliefs to coexist peacefully and in harmony.

Unfortunately, there are still some people who cannot live this way. Any divergence from their belief system is viewed as a threat to their way of life. They allow fear to manipulate them. They allow fear to further divide humanity.

The state walks away the winner time an time again because of this. Our fear justifies their existence and affords them even more control over our very lives.

Conquer our fear, and we conquer the suffering, the bigotry, the violence, and the division that currently dominates many aspects of our very lives as well.

To quote ah mister hicks:

"Patriotism is a cancer, I can't stand it. Its a round world last time I checked."

Don't have have much else to add. Believing your country is better than any other simply because you were born within its borders is lunacy.