George Monbiot on form as ever in today’s Guardian.
Out of the bombings a national consensus has emerged: what we need in Britain is a renewed sense of patriotism. The rightwing papers have been making their usual noises about old maids and warm beer, but in the past 10 days they’ve been joined by Jonathan Freedland in the Guardian, Tristram Hunt in the New Statesman, the New Statesman itself and just about everyone who has opened his mouth on the subject of terrorism and national identity. Emboldened by this consensus, the Sun now insists that anyone who isn’t loyal to this country should leave it. The way things are going, it can’t be long before I’m deported.
And then later on
I don’t hate Britain, and I am not ashamed of my nationality, but I have no idea why I should love this country more than any other. There are some things I like about it and some things I don’t, and the same goes for everywhere else I’ve visited. To become a patriot is to lie to yourself, to tell yourself that whatever good you might perceive abroad, your own country is, on balance, better than the others. It is impossible to reconcile this with either the evidence of your own eyes or a belief in the equality of humankind. Patriotism of the kind Orwell demanded in 1940 is necessary only to confront the patriotism of other people: the second world war, which demanded that the British close ranks, could not have happened if Hitler hadn’t exploited the national allegiance of the Germans. The world will be a happier and safer place when we stop putting our own countries first.
I’ve never understood patriotism. I love the UK, but I can’t see what anyone gains from an unquestioning belief that your country is the best at everything.
Actually, thinking about it, I feel like a Londoner and I feel like a European. I don’t particularly feel British.
>I don’t hate Britain, and I am not ashamed of my nationality, but I have no idea why I should love this country more than any other.If you hate the brits, then get out. Simple as that really. Try and live in another country and tell the people there that you hate them too.
Where exactly did you see me saying that I hate the British?
Tough love for Britain
Dave quotes this, and more, from George Monbiot…I don’t hate Britain, and I am not ashamed of my nationality, but I have no idea why I should love this country more than any other. There are some things I like about it and some things I don’t, an…
Watch out for the treason laws! :)I think that George Monbiot is attacking the wrong argument here (and if he’s as clever as he thinks he is then he knows it!)In my view, patriotism is not thinking that your country is the best at everything (the facts for any country show that this can never be true). Rather, it’s loyalty to your country and the people within it. I think this is the same sort of loyalty that you have to your wife (if anyone still has those). You know she’s not the best at everything, but she’s probably pretty good at some things, and you give her support and encouragement over and above that which you would give to your other friends, simply by virtue of her position. I don’t see anything wrong or sinister in that.Patriotism is not the easy way out, it’s the hard way out. If you do not have a love of your country, then there is no incentive to improve it. On the other hand, if you love your country you are driven to improve it. I do agree with Monbiot that there are things I like about Britain and things that I do not, but patriotism is a call to action in that it gives us the drive to make things better.I think Monbiot is over-simplifying, confusing internal and external solidarity (to use my own words here). People sticking together inside a country has to be a good thing, when compared to the alternative of a divided country which can lead to civil war (Africa, anyone?) That’s the type of patriotism that I believe should be encouraged. But when people look outside their own country and use arguments of superiority to start wars and takeovers, then that’s the patriotism to be avoided.I might have known that Hitler would turn up in this argument (but so soon?) Again, Mobiot misses the point that Hitler’s policies were not exploiting national allegiance but racial allegiance.This is probably an argument of semantics: the meaning of the word “patriotism”. It seems that the word is over-stretched to mean too many different things to different people. Time for rebranding? Perhaps unity would be a better word than patriotism?
Another thing, which takes me slightly off-topic:1. How has George Monbiot managed to build up the profile that he has?2. Where are the commentators on the right (or even the centre) to rival George Monbiot or Naomi Klein? Despite the ample right-leaning media it seems like nobody has managed to break through and establish themselves by balancing opposing views that have both popular support and gravitas. Unless it’s just a lot easier to make a name for yourself by opposing the popular consensus of the day rather than by defending it. I have seen a few books that attempt to be the anti-Klein, but I can’t even remember their titles or authors. Maybe there’s a gap here that I should fill? (Now that’s a scary thought for you!)
Here’s a riddle: I’m 100% Greek by heritage; probably half Turk by lineage; born, raised and living in Germany. I speak and write both Greek and German perfectly. I like parts of both cultures but don’t buy fully into either.
Someone please tell me what my patriot loyalty should be.
Patriotism is an idiotic notion, plain and simple. It does not work unless one’s entire lineage led stationary, monocultural lives.