Absurdity of Nationalism

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While I was watching the Olympics tonight I was thinking how meaningless the international competitions are. We have no control over where we are born yet we act as if living on this piece of land is better than living on that piece of land. I personally feel that countries encourage this type of thinking and it is devisive. It justifies one group of people feeling like they are better than another group of people. To me this is a classic example of the herd mentality. Am I missing something?

Oh yeah I agree. Nationalism is only a recent phenomenon. It goes against human nature since humans wish to be free to move around and go where they wish.

actually, identity is human nature...without it everyone would be lost and insane....humans have always had some tribe of a sort, even monkeys do it....and other animals...they have herds, swarms, and packs...

huh? Humans are naturally inclined to become nationalistic in one form or another, starting back with tribalism. Then it was City-States, then Kingdoms and now the modern Nation-State (in the "Western World" to a certain extent at least)

also OP, IIRC the purpose of the Olympics was to avoid or curtail nationalism or at least have it in a non-violent way.

EDIT: don't really watch the Olympics, not too keen on sports anyway. Also, it depends. The main idea behind nationalism applies to other things, groups that you can choose to join as well(internet wars; see SomethingAwful vs. Ebaumsworld for a prominent example)

Last edited by Warsie on 13 Aug 2008, 10:50 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Is that why so many people are always trying to migrate? Herds, packs and tribes aren't the same as Nationalism anyway. Nationalism is much more extreme and usually involves an exaggerated pride in one's heritage. It can also mean oppression, exclusion, ultra conservative views, intolerance, repression, and all sorts of ugliness that inhibit happiness and personal freedom.

they are actually, normally it's applied to larger example. A "nation" is simply a group of people with something in similar.



it can, but it could simply be "rooting for the home team" (yes a weird and ehh... example; quoted it for that reason). And given how diverse a "nation" can be while still having something in common, not as bad.

See America, f**k Yeah (the video)! Basically there are a few shared cultural things and that makes the US a 'nation'

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vz77TI7t7Do&feature=related[/youtube]

But yes I do see a lot of bad from nationalism.

Last edited by Warsie on 13 Aug 2008, 11:04 pm, edited 1 time in total.

i didn't mean it like that...i know what Nationalism is..

i read it wrong...i re-read it and i thought you meant something else....sorry...
unfortunately it happens often... i mix up information...>.< so don't be surprised if it happens again...

I hate to say it, but warsie is right here to a degree. As I understand it, THIS is what happened.....

1. Families were a natural, and formed.
2. Extended families grew to tribes.
3. Some people wanted MORE! WHO KNOWS WHY!?!?!? They built groups that attacked others, and took land by force.
4. They intimidated people and took land by fiat or basically asked for a bail or ransom.
5. They grew into governments.
6. People left for another area, and it basically starts at #2 again!

SO, while there IS a desire to be free, etc... there IS a tendency and history towards the garbage we have now. 8-(

BTW Look at the american indians. They were at #2. Robin Hood speaks of a time at #3. The US was one started at #6. It is rumored that some asked Washington to basically be a king! He declined!

I think the US is a fabulous nation, one of the best around! So did my grandfather and my great grandparents that's why they came here. This place was far better than where they came from and that's why I believe Nationalism is so evil and can force people who wouldn't normally migrate to migrate just to escape harsh conditions.

I don't want to confuse nationalism with just having some love for the place you live in, if it's a good place. I complain a lot about where I live but it's because of other reasons, not because I do not like the US. I just don't like this particular part of the US, lol.

The herds, packs and tribes lead to the concept of nations with borders. Nationalism rose out of this concept and for the most part, Nationalism is evil and causes a lot of problems.

Last edited by ooOoOoOAnaOoOoOoo on 13 Aug 2008, 11:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.

It's okay, Ledvia, maybe I misunderstood too.

yeah i think we both responded to something completely different, not irrelevant but not exactly within the same topic....

The Olympics never struck me as extremely nationalistic; it seems to be more like the Miss America competition (except with actual talent)--it's not that one state is better than another, but that one contestant is better than another... It focuses on the athletes. A lot of flags, and everybody knows which country's doing better than which other one; but winning at the Olympics doesn't really imply in anyone's mind that some country is better than some other. Bigger nations have a huge advantage, anyway--bigger pool of potential athletes to draw from.

If you're white

erm..do I piss people off/antagonize them

I always thought it was weird myself.
I've pretty much consider myself a citizen of the world.

The US is a great place for many regardless of race. That doesn't mean there aren't problems, but in general, lots of people do very well here that wouldn't do as well elsewhere, how can that be denied? Everybody doesn't share this good fortune. I don't think I share it, at least, not to the degree others share it.

I always felt like I stood out because of my last name, it's very ethnic sounding and hardly anyone else has that kind of name here. I live in place that's mostly Smiths, Jones, Campbells, typical anglo names. When I was in school I really felt ostracized because of my last name. Everyone knew who I was but still the teachers mispronounced my last name over and over again even though they had been told over and over how to say it. This gave me the impression early on folks around these here parts are none too smart.