My Country, Right Or Wrong!

[mibn2cweus]

To what extent do you suppose this kind of sentiment has shaped the state of the world we live in today?

[mibn2cweus]

Naomi,

I have no issues with recognising or indeed praising, the virtues of one's home country. Understanding what made it so should enhance rather than diminish one's appreciation of its virtues and is no less essential to ensuring it stays that way. Blind patriotism on the other hand is no virtue and what virtues that once existed and go unrecognised (within any realm) will not persist.

Your experience with this may be less than mine. Even better if it's not because you're not looking.

[Spicerack]

This One World Government, would it be Marxist by any chance?
If you felt persecuted, where could you apply for refugee status?
The WHO are a one world organisation for health matters. Despite support from pop stars and Silicon Valley, does anyone think they've done a good job re the current crisis?

[mibn2cweus]

All good questions Spicerack, worthy of their own dedicated threads in my estimation. Might even make a contribution myself if someone cares to initiate one.

[Spicerack]

Sorry, thought you were one of these globalist ***s.
No country will be perfect to all it's citizens. On the whole, I'm glad I live in this one.

[emmie]

so am I.

[Spicerack]

Then again, I do criticise this country. So maybe the question wasn't aimed at me.

[emmie]

many people criticise UK, but lo and behold anyone from foreign climes doing it and we come over all patriotic and Little Britain...

[naomi24]

mibs, can you give an example of what you mean by 'blind patriotism'?

[Zacs-Master]

I can; This.....

[emmie]

very very foolish for people to behave that way zacs....

[Zacs-Master]

Indeed. US death toll has just topped 41,000.

[emmie]

that is criminal, those who suggest that their freedom is at stake should be thrown into a jail... separate cells of course..

[naomi24]

That's not 'patriotism' - rather people wanting to get back to work and normality.

[Zacs-Master]

All done in the name of ‘freedom’ tho, which is a cornerstone of US life. To me that’s patriotic. Many many Stars and Stripes being waved around too.

[mibn2cweus]

//mibs, can you give an example of what you mean by 'blind patriotism'?//

No I can't naomi. I should have used these ' ' just as you did there, right? 'Blind patriotism' is not patriotism at all.

[New Judge]

//I can’t think of another way. A world without countries and borders would still require a social structure, laws, educational facilities, health facilities, social welfare, etc., and a central body to make decisions and to administer all that in such a manner as to satisfy all regardless of cultural peculiarities. Personally, I think it’s an idealistic notion and as such completely unworkable….//

Indeed. Mankind has evolved in different areas of the globe and has developed different cultures, habits and lifestyles. Very often they are incompatible with each other. History is littered with the creation of enforced empires with centralised administrations where virtually everybody gets what nobody wants. They have all failed because of these incompatibilities. You don’t actually have to look too far back. Just consider the USSR. The EU will similarly fail eventually for the same reason.

//the widespread view that 'we are right' simply because it's us and 'no one better tell us (or attempt to show us where) we're wrong'.//

That isn’t the widespread view at all. The view of most people that I know is that the country they were born and bred in is where they feel most comfortable. They understand the rules and the limitations and they tailor their ambitions and expectations accordingly. It’s nothing to do with being right or wrong, better or worse.

Anyway, enough philosophy, I'm going up the pub. Oh! Hang on....

[naomi24]

The Urban Dictionary defines ‘blind patriotism’ as ‘The act of allegiance to a cause without clear thought, a complete one sided agreement of committing loyalty. One of the biggest brainwashing techniques used and exposes the true gullibility of people to accepting such nonsense from their government.’

I think blind allegiance - to religion for example - rather than blind patriotism is more widespread. I don’t believe I know anyone who is blindly patriotic.

An amendment to my post yesterday. My friend said 'English' not 'British'.

[mibn2cweus]

//I think blind allegiance - to religion for example - rather than blind patriotism is more widespread. I don’t believe I know anyone who is blindly patriotic.//

In my experience the two are not mutually exclusive. But as defined in the urban dictionary, that's pretty much what I had in mind.

[naomi24]

Is blind patriotism dependent upon political affiliation to the government of the day or are those who support the opposition still blindly patriotic?

[mibn2cweus]

If you look hard enough you'll often find there's plenty of blame to go around. Taking that into account, some leaders tend to be more polarising than others.