What is Patriotism??????

I'm not trying to be a smart a## here, im actually serious with this question...
There are obviously alot of patriots posting to this list and as a non american this patriotism thing throws me a little as I dont really understand it and seeing the rise of american style nationalism in australia actually disturbs me a little as i can't really see what it is that it is about.....
Flag waving to me seems like nonsense..... their actually talking now of errecting a huge aus flag on top of the harbour bridge now....? this to most americans may not seem strange but over here up until 10 years age or so.... you would be lucky if your local government building had one....

First thing is when you (your typical flag waving patriot) says that they love their country... what is it exactly that you are talking about?

Its it the people?, The Dirt your standing on? or The ethics and ideals you aspire to? YOur goverment? that your love is aimed at? It seems that many actually confuse all these serperate issues and have them all swimming around in a vague fog all rapped up in a flag flapping away inside their heads.

I really dont understand honestly....
I wish i did actually, i would definitely be a happier person if i though this way.
I doubt it is a love of the actual people as for all the patroitsm in the US love of fellow man does not seem to be reflected in your allocation of resources....I.E. the amount of homeless in the US and the stark devide between the haves and have nots seems telling...... and what about your crime rates???
Whats to love there? Perhaps patriotism=head in the sand blind optimism in the face of damning social decay?

What are your thoughts??????

I hope this is not too much of a taboo...... that it can not be examined?



(Although all the americans i have met personally seem like very well mannered people and they do have alot of spunk thats admirable, so dont get me wrong)

To me, patriotism is the love of your nation for its ideas and morals. Now, obviously, America cannot always claim to be the most moral of nations, but,for me, it's more of a dedication to the aspirations of what the country was originally meant to be.

Originally posted by morphonius821

First thing is when you (your typical flag waving patriot) says that they love their country... what is it exactly that you are talking about?

Its it the people?, The Dirt your standing on? or The ethics and ideals you aspire to? YOur goverment? that your love is aimed at? It seems that many actually confuse all these serperate issues and have them all swimming around in a vague fog all rapped up in a flag flapping away inside their heads.

I don't know if I'm a 'typical' anything...let's see...political conservative, ordained minister, with a huge collection of rock and roll albums, who wears a cowboy hat, listens to a lot of country music, builds computers for a hobby, and has a waist-length ponytail....did I miss breaking any stereotypes there? *grin*

I do, however, consider myself a patriot, and I do fly a flag (though I don't often wave it, as my arms get tired)...so I'll give your question a shot.

At least for me, you hit on a lot of things that are all part of the answer...like so many emotions or feelings, patriotism isn't a simple thing, so dont expect a simple reply.

Do I love the American people? Not all of them, no...but as you yourself admit, for the most part, we're an industrious, outgoing bunch, with good intentions...so I do have an affection for the American people as a group, despite my irritation at some individuals within the set.

Do I love the dirt I'm standing on? Oddly enough, yes...this is my home. It's where I live with my wife, it's where I relax after a hard day of work. My parents and grand-parents lived, loved, and in some cases, died here. My roots run deep into this dirt, and it's a part of me on a deep emotional level.

Do I love the ethics and ideals that the Founding Fathers spoke of? You bet. I also understand that, no matter how idealistic the vision, it's implemented by and for mortal men, with flaws and failings. We may not live up to the ideals of our founders, but we try.

Do I love my government? Hey...I just did my taxes. That's not a fair question right now

So...what is patriotism? For me at least, it is, indeed, a love for the land, for the people, for the ideals...and yes, even a sentimental fondness for that red, white, and blue cloth that we let flap in the wind...all tempered with the realization that nothing, nobody, and no country is ever perfect.

Perhaps not a good answer, but the best one I can give you.

patriotism, it's a way to sell flags
it's a way to sell policy
to sell war

really, that's all it is, there isn't a reason to love your country more than another other than the fact that you're in it.

america has a history of attempted idealism, sure, but it also has a history of hypocricy

i love my country, but i'm not patriotic.
patritiotism, like nationalism, breeds ignorance and intolerance

Patriotism its a racist sentiment.
Probably one of the worst made to divide the people.
After religions its probably the second worst.
In the name of patriotism the humanity has given it worst.
So waive the flag

I think patriotism is a mass brainwashing scheme to ensure the sheeple follow the leaders (whoever the leaders are behind the giant curtain).

From the first day I stepped foot into school, we were made to stand and pledge allegiance to the flag. I didn't even understand what the hell I was doing or saying. Talk about brainwashing.

Do I love my country? No. It's turning into crap. I love my dog.

every morning for at least 12 school years i pledged alligience to the flag of the united states of america, fo which it stands , one nation ,under god,indevisable, with liberty and justice for all. so you will have to forgive us for associating the flag with our patriotism as the works get gummed up over the years.

True Patriotism is the love of your country and countrymen.

It is not brainwashing you into loving your Government, most Patriots do not trust ANY form of Government with their country any more than a parent would trust his children with a baby sitter.(trusting, but very cautious.)

It is not pledging allegiance to a flag. The flag is no more your country than a cross is your God, or your mailbox is your home. Respect what it represents, not what it is.

It is not a prejudice against others. You love your wife and kids above all others, but that in no way means you hate those who are not your family. I love my Country above all others, but still want the best for people of other nations.

It is not a political party. No matter how much one party or the other wants you to think that. Leaders do not make a country great, the common people do.

A true Patriot loves his country no matter what. If it's turning into crap then guess what, you fight for it. If your countrymen are being fooled by those within your Government and the values your Country once held are being perverted for the benefit of an Elite few, then you work to educate your brothers. One would never stop loving his family just because they don't agree with him all the time or because they have been fooled.

Most of all, Patriotism is something that you feel, not something you can be TOLD to feel.

[edit on 24-3-2007 by Nicotine1982]

If you aren't patriotic, no one respects you and your country. If they don't respect your country and the people, they come and take it. Example, here in Australia are Arabs, Asians and Indians.

Every week there's a brawl between "Australia-born Croatians" and "Australia-born Lebanese", and a lot of Chinatown fights. This is because the Australia values, and patriotism hasn't been hammered into these people at an early age. And now they're tearing the country apart by implementing their own values, and make us adopt to their values in our country!

The way I see it, it seems patriotism (like religion) in general promises one thing and delivers in broad stroks another thing altogether.

Like a wolf in sheep's clothing.

It is a word/ideal that has become a social movement that has been hijacked by many agendas...... and the foremost of these are:
1)intolerance,
2)racism,
3)militarism,
ETc,Etc.....
and it has become convienient and "natural" for our youth to plug into this movement unwittingly whilst the seeds of 500 different kinds of evil are smuggled in under its banner of un-questionable values and self evident worth and validity.

Whist it is true that patriotism stands for many things that on the whole sound good and true......

It seems that its main role is to funtion as an pre-fabricated fascade of bogus moral and ethical credentials. Whose main role it to validate the unconcious majority and provide them with ample ammunition with which to silence chritics and drown out free and progressive thought with mindless fanfare and houpla.

Yeah,let's all just join a great big unified world community and leave the doors wide open for a one world dictator. Sounds fun. You people are ridiculously hilarious, not necessarily in a good way either.

Patriotism

devoted love, support, and defense of one's country; national loyalty.

dictionary.reference.com...


However I believe it's not for one's country, I believe that patriotism is the love of an idea.