Patriotism is a cataract that blinds us to all national discrepancies.What can I say? I agree with the sentiment expressed.
~ Joe Bageant via Fallenmonk ~
Patriotism is a cataract that blinds us to all national discrepancies.What can I say? I agree with the sentiment expressed.
~ Joe Bageant via Fallenmonk ~
Patriotism, until quite recently, was considered a virtue.
ReplyDeleteOne did not have to be blind to one's country's discrepancies to identify with one's country and with one's people.
I watch with fascinated horror, while so many pampered westerners refuse to support their countries in any way whatsoever.
Having never had to fight for anything so mundane as their own survival, why would they bother?
The purpose of nations is utterly outside their experience.
When this whole infrastructure that supports their very survival is left unguarded and vulnerable, who could blame the less civilized peoples for invading, raping, pillaging and taking slaves from the bovine population?
Not I.
I shudder, I wish it were not so, but I trust the words of Lao Tzu: the world is perfect...
Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel...(Samuel Johnson)
ReplyDeleteThe Taoist sage has the tolerance of someone who knows his ideas are less important than his own well-being. He lives with the constant awareness that his convictions are not as precious as the well-being of others.
ReplyDeleteHe has the patience of someone who knows his insights are limited and subject to continuous change.
He has the humility of someone who realizes what really matter are mostly beyond the grasp of mind and language.
Creating discord to defend your own limited vision is absurd to the sage who believes that harmony is the essence of meaningful life.
Therefore the sage does not take sides in intellectual pursuits.
He does not wear the colours of any sect or party.
He does not wave flags patriotically in the wind.
He does not sing anthems with tear-filled eyes.
He refuses to "die for his country".
He refuses to kill for some nationalistic cause, or in patriotic fervour, or to satisfy the greed of his rulers, or because he has fallen for some propaganda.
He is a true warrior. He would rather be declared a traitor than betray himself. He has conquered himself and therefore cannot be conquered.
-Jos Slabbert
Crow,
ReplyDeleteI think that if you read the entirety of Lao Tzu's words that it becomes clear that he contends that pure nature is perfect, not society.
Baroness,
Great quote.
Roshi Hogan,
A great quote too. It illustrates why I am NOT a sage.
I discovered, recently, I am allergic to wheat, rye and barley.
ReplyDeleteIt does not serve me to eat these things.
But if I were starving, I would certainly eat whatever was available.
Whereas a perfect diet serves me better, an imperfect one is the fare of most.
I must live within an imperfect context, while knowing it is imperfect.
Patriotism does not necessarily equate to war and killing.
It is a group identity, for those who must have one. Like leftism. Or taoism.
Interestingly, tibetans, when invaded and annexed by the chinese, raised a small and ineffective army to resist that invasion. They - as buddhists - were patriotic. Unfortunately for them: they were not very good at it.
Patriotism does not necessarily equate to war and killing.
ReplyDeleteThe cited quote doesn't suggest that. In this case, you are arguing against a straw man.
"He refuses to "die for his country".
ReplyDeleteHe refuses to kill for some nationalistic cause, or in patriotic fervour, or to satisfy the greed of his rulers, or because he has fallen for some propaganda."
I don't do straw men.
Crow,
ReplyDeleteI have a suggestion. In the future, it would be helpful if you identified whom you are responding to. Since you provided no qualifier, I assumed you were responding to the cited quote of the blog post.
i am grateful to my country for providing me with the things a country should- protection, opportunities, etc...
ReplyDeletei am not willing to support the country when it goes against what i believe. i am willing to help change it to improve it.
i feel a sort of comradeship with my fellow citizens during some moments, and at other moments just want to bury my face in my hands and shake my head.
i don't know whether this makes me a patriot, or not. i think the definition is a little obscure.