Is patriotism a good or bad thing..

?

 

I said good. but what do you consider patriotism? undying loyalty to your government?

That's not my definition of it. Although people have wanted to make it the definition in modern days. Stating that if you criticize the government, you are automatically un-patriotic.

For me, being a patriot is about upholding the values the country was founded on, which is the consitution. So when I use the patriot, I use it to mean someone who stands for freedom and the consitution, instead of someone who blindly supports their government.

 

"Nationalism is an infantile disease. It is the measles of mankind." - Albert Einstein

 

"When the great Tao is forgotten,
goodness and peity appear.
When the body's intelligence declines,
cleverness and knowledge step forth.
When there is no peace in the family,
filial peity begins.
When the country falls into chaos,
patriotism is born."

Tao te Ching #18

 

I said bad
Mainly because - in the world of global corporations rather than nation states - what have YOU got to be patriotic about - What has your country ever done for you?
dont give me that rubbish about what have you ever done for your country because they want you to die for them inevitably and eventually that is what they ask of us all.

 

the concept of patriotism has been warped in recent years. those that would call themselves patriots destroy the country and those that seek to defend the principles on which this country was founded are called unpatriotic

 

Fortunately in the UK patriotism doesn't mean backing your government it means backing The Queen.

"God save the Queen".

 

I woke up this mornin' with the sundown shinin' in
I found my mind in a brown paper bag within
I tripped on a cloud and fell-a eight miles high
I tore my mind on a jagged sky
I just dropped in to see what condition my condition was in

(Yeah, yeah, oh-yeah, what condition my condition was in)

I pushed my soul in a deep dark hole and then I followed it in
I watched myself crawlin' out as I was a-crawlin' in
I got up so tight I couldn't unwind
I saw so much I broke my mind
I just dropped in to see what condition my condition was in

psychedelic guitar instrumental break

(Yeah, yeah, oh-yeah, what condition my condition was in)

Someone painted "April Fool" in big black letters on a "Dead End" sign
I had my foot on the gas as I left the road and blew out my mind
Eight miles outta Memphis and I got no spare
Eight miles straight up downtown somewhere
I just dropped in to see what condition my condition was in

I said I just dropped in to see what condition my condition was in
Yeah yeah oh-yeah

 

cool


mos def bad, b

 

Don't confuse patriotism with nationalism.


Patriotism = good

Nationalism =Bad

 

Patriotism and nationalism are potential tools for fascists.

 

Patriotism is okay. Psycho-patriotism is bad.

 

Patriotism is good, this whole "my country is better than your country" attitude that a lot of people seem to have is bad.

 

because they most likely don't know the extent to which they are censored, it is called censorship for a reason

 

What's the difference?

 

My opinion; our concept of seperate, individual nations is an ever-changing illusion, and patriotism is a disease. Pure and simple.

 

Patriotism is bad for you
This person was a patriot and look what
happened to her - dont do it kids you
will end up looking ugly and being ugly

 

Patriotism is no longer seen by some people as blindly following and adoring a government's policies. Older conservative people may think that patriotism is good. As I've heard some people in Australia say "this is the best bloody country in the world, and you're an idiot if you don't think so."

This is a disgrace when people think this way. We must ask ourselves - why does patriotism exist? It may be due to people enjoying the system and the direction that the country is going in.

I believe that I am not really a strong patriot. I think Australia is a great country because of the diversity of its people, the quality of life that some people enjoy. However, many people are not enjoying a good wuality of life in this country, and this makes me feel like Australia is not doing justice to everyone who comes here for a better life. Personally I would rather live in a different country where the laws were better and fairer.

I have never really been a patriot. Patriotism and nationalism have led to people blindly following and believing in their government, even though their government is fucking them in the arse. Taking with one hand and giving with the other. How can you be proud of a government and a country that does this?

How can you be a patriot when your govornment does such wrong things, unobtrusively, such as stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from a newly independent country (East Timor) and giving it to big corporations or to the rich, when public schools and public hospitals receive little funding, and you are a recipient of their services and depend on their services for survival?

I believe that constant criticism of government and "checking" will stop us from going down the blind patriot avenue. Where does patriotism get us besides in the shit? Look at Communist countries for example through the years - the poor have ultimately been the losers, who have been the party's main supporters.

Where has patriotism got many Australian, British and American conservatives, apart from stuck in a continuing religious war that is harming many and benefiting only the rich and powerful.

Patriotism may be mild, like looking at your country and saying "This is a good country because of these positive qualities...", however strong patriotism leads to blindness, and may even lead to racism in the extreme. This is horrible, and I think this is where the world is going, unfortunately.

This is where the ignorant blind patriots start believing that Muslim and middle eastern people are evil, and for this I feel pity upon the patriots, becuase they are uneducated and have had their heads filled with absolute trash. :$

Peace out
xxxx

 

"People who enjoy waving flags don't deserve to have one" - Banksy

 

There is nothing wrong with patriotism; it's an abstract notion that carries no moral precept.

Patriots, on the other hand, are quite different. Patriot: "a person who vigorously supports their country and is prepared to defend it."

It's vigorous support that smells a lot like blind faith, to me. It's a fine line between someone who has pride in his nation and someone who is a pure jingoist.

I voted "bad."