When It Goes From a holiday BBQ to Brawl
We all love our home turf, right? Cheering on the national team, belting out the anthem – that’s healthy national pride.
But sometimes, that pride can morph into something a lot less appealing. We’re talking extreme nationalism.
Here’s the deal: nationalism, when it gets all fired up, starts seeing the world as “us vs. them.” Our country’s the best, everyone else just doesn’t measure up. This “us vs. them” thinking can make things ugly for anyone who isn’t part of the “us”club.
Minorities? Shunned. Immigrants? Blamed for problems. It’s a recipe for social tension, and throughout history, it’s fueled some nasty conflicts.
Imagine trying to solve a global issue, like climate change, when everyone’s pointing fingers and refusing to work together. Nationalism throws a wrench in international cooperation, making it harder to tackle big problems that affect everyone. Think of it like trying to fight a house fire while everyone argues about whose hose is better.
We live in a global, linked world. There is no denying so much of our world is connected and interdependent.
Nationalism can also be a politician’s best friend, especially if they’re looking to grab more power. They whip up nationalist fervor, painting criticism as unpatriotic. Suddenly, disagreeing with the government is the same as betraying your country. Not exactly a healthy environment for free speech and open debate.
The economy feels the sting of extreme nationalism too. Trade wars and “buy local only” policies might sound good on the surface, but they can actually hurt everyone in the long run – variety of what you can buy would vanish, some jobs are lost, prices may rise and everyone would lose out.
Nationalism can tear at the fabric of a society too. Minority cultures and languages get pushed aside.
So, what can we do to avoid the dangers of nationalism? Here’s the recipe for a more balanced world:
- Education is key: Let’s learn about different cultures, and understand that the world isn’t just about “us.”
- Connect with the world: Travel, exchange programs, even just watching foreign films – all these things help break down stereotypes and build bridges.
- Question everything: Don’t just accept what you hear. Think critically about what politicians and media are telling you.
- Embrace a global perspective: The world’s problems don’t respect borders. We need to work together to solve them.
Nationalism can be a powerful force, but just like any powerful emotion, it needs to be kept in check. By promoting understanding and cooperation, we can create a world where national pride is a source of unity, not division.
Now that’s something worth celebrating!
QUINNSCOMMENTARY 
E pluribus unum. From many people we become one. The immigrant is as responsible for becoming a citizen, as the citizen is for accepting the immigrant.
LikeLike
I recently read about a WW2 German Wehrmacht soldier’s combat experience. He survived two years of savage fighting on the Russian Front, was seriously wounded and sent home to Germany for convalescence. He was subsequently sent to the Western Front and fought against the Allies after the Normandy invasion. Captured by the British, he was confined in several POW camps in England, then assigned to work on a farm and grew to respect the British farmer who treated him fairly. In 1947 he was transported back to Germany and released, a free man after six years of service to “The Fatherland.” After only a few months back in Germany, he was having difficulty adjusting to life; the tipping point was an argument with an elderly civilian who scolded him for “Not doing enough and letting the Fuhrer down…”
He’d had enough, returned to England and was welcomed back by the very farmer he had been assigned to as a POW. He married an English woman, raised a family and remained in Britain for the rest of his life.
During the Viet Nam War I was stationed in then West Germany and often wondered how the decent German people I met could have been transformed by Nazi propaganda. In fact I was treated better by the average German civilian than many American draft dodging protestors, who labeled all serviceman as “baby killers.”
I now know several former draft dodgers who rejoiced when the USA invaded Iraq, are pro Putin and dream about mass deportations of immigrants.
Now I understand what happened in Germany…
LikeLike
I am less concerned about nationalism than I am about the lack of patriotism in America today.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/vast-majority-of-americans-would-not-volunteer-to-serve-if-us-entered-major-conflict-poll/ar-AA1jRA5B#:~:text=The%20survey%2C%20conducted%20by%20the%20research%20institute%20Echelon,would%20join%20up%2C%20while%20the%20rest%20were%20unsure.
https://poll.qu.edu/poll-release?releaseid=3838“… Americans were asked what they would do if they were in the same position as Ukrainians are now: stay and fight or leave the country? A majority (55 percent) say they would stay and fight, while 38 percent say they would leave the country. Republicans say 68 – 25 percent and independents say 57 – 36 percent they would stay and fight, while Democrats say 52 – 40 percent they would leave the country. …”
That’s what decades of teaching America’s children that more is wrong with America than right, failing to present a balanced perspective that shows that America, as much as any other country, is likely to acknowledge our mistakes and try to correct them. . Too many people think America is evil, that because or our past (which was often similar to other countries and cultures) was not what it is today, that America was not/is not exceptional, that America is not worth making sacrifices for, in terms of our efforts, resources, commitments, even our lives as necessary to defend our country.
As one who wore the green when called upon, I am disgusted about all the crap from the Administration suggesting we have more to worry about from nationalism than external forces, that we have more to worry about from our own military than the anti-fascists who would bomb courthouses, injure/kill police, etc.
LikeLike
Your sense of patriotism should stem from the fact that it’s your home, warts and all, and it’s worth defending. It’s kind of like going to a football game and sitting next to a person who wants the other team to win. Of course, you take pride in your team and might even have a bit of fun with the other person when your team scores, but in the end, you just enjoy the game and leave with good memories. You don’t threaten to beat up the other guy because he won’t become a fan of your team.
Every American should be required to live in a foreign country for a year or two and become fully immersed in its culture and get to know its people and how they view Americans. I was fortunate to live in Europe for over 20 years (and am married to a European) and having this experience has certainly helped me see that a lot of American culture and politics is toxic.
And I’ll politely disagree with another commenter and fellow veteran; I do not think America has a core culture or core values, especially after being so deeply immersed in European culture. I’d even go so far to say that our insistence on exercising our “rights”, even at the expense of others, has led to a default culture where people won’t discuss issues and work out solutions to them that benefit everybody. As the saying goes, your right to swing your fist stops just short of my nose, yet far too many Americans want to exercise their “right” to keep swinging.
The phrase, “Do you have a problem with that?” should be banned because, yes, I sometimes do have a problem with that, so let’s sit down and come up with a solution both of us can live with instead of turning a “yes” answer to that question into a fist fight.
If we had values, we wouldn’t have people flying the flag upside down and call it “freedom of expression.” Sure, we have the right – but even with that, is it the right thing to do? I pray we do develop and practice good values across the nation.
The Reverend Peter Marshall summarized it well in a 1947 prayer before the U.S. Senate:
“Freedom is not the right to do as we please, but rather the opportunity to please to do what is right.”
LikeLike
Well said.
LikeLike
it all makes sense but as a veteran, it still makes my blood boil when I see extremists flying the American flag upside down…especially when they are on the Supreme Court. There is nothing more American than our values….
LikeLike
Senator John Kerry who was our Sec. of State and a presidential candidate wrote a book entitled New Soldier with an upside down flag on the cover.
Roe v Wade protestors at the Court 2 years ago saw some carrying the flag upside down.
Vietnam war protestors were seen in parades with the upside down flag.
1854 Henry David Thoreau was on stage with Sojourner Truth and Wm. Lloyd Garrison with the flag upside down and burning a copy of the Constitution.
LikeLike
I can agree with you mostly except I don’t care for Bollywood movies and a lot of the French movies for that matter. Come to think of it, I don’t like current US movies either. I thought the Buy Local signs were to help out small mom and pop stores, help them compete against the big chains.
I do agree that the political class uses us against them to whip up the support for the war machine. Bashing Russia, China, Iran, and others is currently in full bloom. Climate change is not nationalism related. Just a few thoughts.
;
LikeLike
makes sense to me!
LikeLike