An old comic that feels oh so relevant in this tumultuous election year.
Source: https://www.smbc-comics.com/comic/an-important-distinction
I take issue with the first panel.
To me, patriotism is "I'm going to work on my house because I love the people who live in it and I want them all to have the best house."
If you start from the assumption that your country is the "best" that's nationalism and straying too close to the roots of xenophobia.
Yeah, it's maybe the greatest difference between Patriotism and Nationalism: the former is all about "I'll work to make my house the best house" whilst the latter is about "Yield to me, as I am from the best house".
Patriots want their country to be the best country, Nationalist want to extract gains from living in what they think is the best country.
You'll notice that the only things Nationalists ever do for their country are things like "stopping others from coming here" or "celebrating the greatness of their country", which aren't at all about making the country better.
It could be the best for you.
You seem to be implying all people and countries are on a scale moving closer to some single ideal.
But it's perfectly valid to think your house is the best and want it to be different to someone else's house, who also thinks their house is the best.
You seem to be implying all people and countries are on a scale moving closer to some single ideal.
I mean that's definitely how some people interpret it but at least for me, patriotism encompasses the idea that my country should be best for me and the people in it but that other people in other countries get to think the same thing about their country and work towards their own version of "best."
But I'm not gonna argue that everyone does patriotism this way because that's clearly not the case 🙃 plenty of "patriots" out there willing to wreck their own country in a war over bringing their own ideals to a different place.
Words are defined by how they're used.
Patriotism also sucks, because it implements a bias that can then be exploited, and brings very little to the table.
State-level patriotism also makes you complicit in the division of people by countries and nations, as opposed to classes and other valid groups of people.
And there is no valid reason to have some special relation to your country. It is natural to feel ties with the place you were born or the place you spent a lot of time in, this is human psychology, but your country is nothing but a piece of land that was marked by somebody as belonging to some virtual entity.
We should ditch state-level patriotism as a concept and treat local-level patriotism as a natural bias. We should strive to help people of all places and origins, and come together as one.
Instead of local-level should it not be headed towards planet-level?
Our obsession with owning land and borders will be the death of us all.
Like, without hyperbole, if we all die, it will be because of our attachment to the concept of "owning land" and having to draw imaginary lines across ground and rock and water to signify who owns what.
But when you step back and really think about it, it makes zero sense if you actually care about an equitable world where people aren't hurting each other. It makes zero sense from a cosmic perspective, as this is a rock flying around a star, it has been here longer than us and will outlast us to a degree that our presence here, no matter what we do, will be a brief blip in cosmic time. We have no legacy, no real connection to the dirt below us other than how it gave us life. And yet claim ownership over it?
It makes no sense from a material perspective either, all borders do is reduce the flow of goods and services, creates artificial limits on who can go where creating "pressure zones" that eventually explode over and become migration disasters, and of course the people who pretend to rule these patches of dirt and rock and water and will send millions of people to death to preserve this roleplay. And we all cheer and defend this concept with all our heart.
Make it make sense.
Moreover, the entire concept of ownership is really just "you'll face violence from other people if you try to take that away, one way or another". That's it.
Universe doesn't care who owns what, those are just objects in space.
Sometimes this concept is helpful; you probably want the police to step in if someone breaks into your house (universe couldn't care less). Sometimes it's extremely dangerous, like when country leaders threaten others with nuclear war.
In either case, we should seriously revamp our relationships with land and property - that is for certain. Current ways are not sustainable and may lead to a disaster.
At the very least, yes.
Don't worry, if we ever become an interplanetary species, we'll do the exact same fucking thing
Which will be the time to ditch planetary-level patriotism as well.
For now, it's good enough.
also makes you complicit in the division of people by countries and nations, as opposed to classes and other valid groups of people.
I don't think we need to do any division between people.
There’s no “special” reason to view the adults you grew up with as better or worse caretakers. Statistically, it’s likely they’re equivalent to many others.
Still, this over application of logic refuses to let us be enthusiastic about anything unless there’s a scientifically documented reason towards it. It’s nice to have reasons to adore something, even if that thing is a country - but the comic is making the point that you should still want to find flaws in and improve that thing.
Sure! I just think that this particular flavor of enthusiasm often serves as a slippery slope towards nationalism, and is often intended that way.
Which is why I see it as a rather toxic kind of mentality. There are many things to be enthusiastic about - people's unity, new discoveries and achievements, or simply your cat coming for hugs.
None of them have terrible potential outcomes.
Patriotism also sucks, because it implements a bias that can then be exploited, and brings very little to the table.
patriotism is a very personal thing, by the very definition of it. You simply cannot apply it outside of yourself. If you are outwardly patriotic. You have already fucked up.
I would argue there is a valid reason to have some form of special relation to your country, your country is simply, not any other existing country. If you live in estonia, you have a fully digital government. If you live in america you have one of the foundational democratic governments of modern society, as well as a particular cultural history (though turbulent, rather remarkable) as well as a particularly unusual geography and land usage. If you live in europe, you live in a moderately to high density populated area, that is highly socialized, and cooperative. Etc. Etc. Etc.
The fundamental problem here is thinking that europe is worse than america, simply because it's different. What you're applying here is a soviet level utilitarian "collective" identity.
Though i agree with the state level patriotism, that's fucking weird, stop doing that.
It is one thing to acknowledge the positives of a place you're in, and other to be proud of some arbitrary landmass.
Europe is not worse than America, both have their upsides and downsides. I can say that as a Russian, and I also acknowledge the positives and negatives of living in Russia in general and my city in particular. All are good at something, and bad at something else.
At the same time, I do not want to leave my city. I have people here that I'm warmly related to and I feel safe and comfortable here; I know the city, know its unwritten rules, I feel myself at home. There are places in here I intimately know and adore. Moving cities would be a major pain for me, and at first I wouldn't feel at my place; moving countries is straight up insane for me.
But I know this is because I'm used to the place and know it deeply, and feel comfy with that arrangement; if I would leave, I would feel nostalgic of times I've spent here, and I would always react more to any events that happen here, even when I leave. This is all my bias, and it is something we all have. I guess this is the core of local-level patriotism.
But it doesn't make me hold special feelings towards the entirety of Russia. I have no ties with Siberia, to which I've never been, and to me it would be more foreign than, say, forests of Finland, which are way closer to what I see in my area and are more intimately familiar. Kamchatka is exotic to me, not familiar and warm. And I fail to understand why it should be different, other than for the will of the people in power who want to create some special Russian identity for me to be proud of.
Europe is not worse than America, both have their upsides and downsides. I can say that as a Russian, and I also acknowledge the positives and negatives of living in Russia in general and my city in particular. All are good at something, and bad at something else.
are their upsides to living in russia? Seems like right now wouldn't be a particularly good time. Really the only thing i can think of off the top of my head is piracy, and maybe some more lax internet rules. But that's about it.
Your post pretty much sums up my thoughts on the matter in completion.
Yes, piracy and lackluster Internet regulation is one particularly good thing.
Also, costs are generally low, which greatly offsets the lower revenue. Russia is the fourth economy by GDP by purchasing power parity, so it's not to be underestimated.
Fuel, food, electricity and water, and a lot of other stuff is WAY cheaper than in Europe. Some Europeans living near the border drive to Russia to this day to get some goods for cheap and also fuel their cars.
Russia has lush forests, a lot of water, and amazing nature. It does have polluted cities, but for the most of it, air quality is high.
Most people here have their own countryside summer home, which serves as a wonderful retreat.
Social security is not amazing, but good enough; also, healthcare is greatly improving in the last years, despite some of the sanctions (generally though, medical goods are allowed to enter Russia from everywhere)
On the flip side, the country is obviously ruled by a bloodthirsty maniac that crushes descent, sanctions lead to unavailability of many products and services, I cannot go to Finland to see my brother, and economy is screeching under the load of a war machine that kills our fellows (and Ukrainians were always seen from Russia as rogue, but beloved members of the Eastern Slavic family) for no valid reason.
Also, the economic consequences of war lead to all sorts of weird consequences; for example, high key interest rate meant to keep money inside results to completely crazy loan conditions, like mortgages with 19% APR - you are literally supposed to pay one fifth of a price for an accommodation AS INTEREST EVERY YEAR. Before war, it was in the 5-7% range. As such, house owning is not an option at all. Also, markets are highly volatile, and it is hard to save any money.
huh, interesting, rather informative. Appreciate the insight.
I suppose if you're somehow making money from western economies it's probably a pretty good gig. Are the domestic wages any decent? I've heard russia has issues with braindrain, for more educated fields, since pay and living standards are often higher outside of russia. Though i've never looked into it.
It'll be interesting to see what happens economically as the war continues, or as it ends.
Yes, it is profitable to work in Western economies, but current political situation often makes it outright impossible, and back in the days when it was possible it wasn't super common - mostly due to language barrier (most Russians are not fluent in any foreign language, including English) and the culture that pressures people to stay in. Phrases like "you're good where you're born" are common sayings here.
High-profile specialists, though, are the first to leave for sure, in search of higher wages, a safer/better place to be, etc. etc.
Also now that a lot of male population was under the threat of mobilization, a lot of young people have fled the country to where they could, taking their families with them.
There was a thing with freelance work on international platforms that brought good money without having to leave the country, but soon after freelance economy started truly booming, Russia started the war which ended up in main payment channels being closed - and barely anyone outside IT specialists offers serious freelance work paid in crypto or by other means.
Yes, it is profitable to work in Western economies, but current political situation often makes it outright impossible, and back in the days when it was possible it wasn’t super common - mostly due to language barrier (most Russians are not fluent in any foreign language, including English) and the culture that pressures people to stay in. Phrases like “you’re good where you’re born” are common sayings here.
what about online? Say game dev or something. I believe tarkov is russian based no? Though they have an HQ in the UK i think, for monetary purposes.
There was a thing with freelance work on international platforms that brought good money without having to leave the country, but soon after freelance economy started truly booming, Russia started the war which ended up in main payment channels being closed - and barely anyone outside IT specialists offers serious freelance work paid in crypto or by other means.
yeah, that sounds about right.
Yeah, put "online" in the basket of freelance work and expand it to company level, and you'd be about right.
Quite a few games are indeed Russian - Escape from Tarkov, Atomic Heart, Crossout are examples off the top of my head that were international bangers. But they all had to build sophisticated systems to let the money flow, and often had to make separate affiliates. This does hurt game devs a lot in the process, and make a lot of groups NOT go into those waters.
yeah that sounds about right, thanks for the input.
Ah, a classic false dichotomy.
You see my kind of loyalty was loyalty to one’s country, not to its institutions or its office-holders. The country is the real thing, the substantial thing, the eternal thing; it is the thing to watch over, and care for, and be loyal to; institutions are extraneous, they are its mere clothing, and clothing can wear out, become ragged, cease to be comfortable, cease to protect the body from winter, disease, and death. To be loyal to rags, to shout for rags, to worship rags, to die for rags—that is a loyalty of unreason, it is pure animal; it belongs to monarchy, was invented by monarchy; let monarchy keep it. I was from Connecticut, whose Constitution declares “that all political power is inherent in the people, and all free governments are founded on their authority and instituted for their benefit; and that they have at all times an undeniable and indefeasible right to alter their form of government in such a manner as they may think expedient.”
Under that gospel, the citizen who thinks he sees that the commonwealth’s political clothes are worn out, and yet holds his peace and does not agitate for a new suit, is disloyal; he is a traitor. That he may be the only one who thinks he sees this decay, does not excuse him; it is his duty to agitate anyway, and it is the duty of the others to vote him down if they do not see the matter as he does.
Conservative's patriotism is mostly virtue signaling in my experience.
I am the queen of France (drums start) (wavy arm dance begin)
But you know as well as I, patriotism is a word; and one that generally comes to mean either my country, right or wrong, which is infamous, or my country is always right, which is imbecile. - Patrick O'Brien
What a dumbass take.
The difference is much simpler. Patriotism for internal conflicts, nationalism for external conflicts. Both for manufactured Boogeymen fueled by malicious propaganda.
imo, actual patriotism would be more like "I want to make my house as good as I can."
You don't have to think your country is the best to be patriotic with respect to that country.
Nah, it's very subjective. Idealistically patriotism is more like "I want to make the common house everyone on the street lives in more pleasant to live in for everyone."
Realistically it's more like "I want to make my house how I think it should be better. Why doesn't everyone else do the same?"
Each individual has their own idea about what's the patriotic thing to do, even if that ends up to be the wrong thing in someone else's view. That's why I say it's about internal conflicts. Your patriotism and your neighbor's can come at odds with each other in various points. Neither of you might be wrong, but you'll still have to pick something that goes against those beliefs eventually. Better for you, worse for someone else, but pat oneself on the back with the excuse "the good of the many".
Talk about dumbass takes..
I did talk. You didn't. This comment of yours.... Zero substance. Not even dumb, just empty.
Chauvinism ≠ nationalism
Ireland and quebec are nationalist, they want to become independent from englad. Its about sovereignty.
Chauvinism is fanatical adoration of a person, a group or a belief like the maga side of the republican.
How many languages outside of English even have a word for patriotism?
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