Why is it wrong to have Patriotism in today’s society?

[FriendlyDrugDealer]

I mean not saying the same thing as Nationalism which is a whole different story.

I’m sure within every country, there is some bad history of decisions, policies, laws, etc. Trust me , I’m very aware of the monstrosities that my own country ( USA) performed in the past and some even more recently.

So I don’t want to bring up why I’m still patriotic , I’m curious to hear your opinions on this matter

[BCRanger10]

It's not wrong.

I think one reason, the main one in fact, is that many people today, our generation in particular, has been raised to have a distrust of and contempt for all that came before them. They look at religious conservatives (like yours truly) who tend to be more patriotic and who honor the past and tradition and think that because we do so that we want absolutely everything that came with it, even the bad things, i. e., slavery. They come to associate patriotism and tradition with slavery, misogyny, racism, and so forth. This, of course, is thoroughly ridiculous.

The US has its darker chapters in its history. We have high ideals that we have not always lived up to. Even now, we have problems and sins. What nation doesn't though? I love my country and I'm happy to be an American.

[FriendlyDrugDealer]

Beautifully said

[Ironic_Method]

My patriotism comes from what I think my country SHOULD be. In this case America and what it SHOULD stand for. I strive for this place being the place of opportunity and freedom even if we have a long way to go because people suck. A nation of immigrants that can mesh and respect each other's differences instead of demonizing them.

It won't happen in my lifetime, but I still stand for it.

[FriendlyDrugDealer]

I love that, so do I

[AmandaYVR]

I guess [if it is negative sometimes] it's because it often goes hand in hand with a lack of humility, objectivity, and perspective. ? Patriotism is fine, normal, healthy, but it is often taken to an extreme, where it becomes blind. It sometimes seems that the people who practice it resolutely with the most fervour are the most avid deniers of evidence of flawed logic, or when it's failing. Or perhaps they are staunch and seem inflexible, no changing with the times. ?

I don't like any country, or individual, that is not open to at least considering other views, other ways of doing things. And American culture is the most influential culture worldwide, yet also seems to have the most citizens who shout, "We are the best," so it has the reputation of being bombastic in its arrogance. Some other countries which are just as free prefer a more humble approach. Every country has its form of propaganda, and that's expected. It's the ones (the governments) who attempt to control the flow of information that are the biggest perpetrators of distortion. Citizens who are well-informed have every right to be patriotic. As long as they don't close themselves off to anything they dislike. (Confirmation bias, and all that.)

I wrote this, and then I looked up the differences between the two words. This is for anyone else who wants to know:

"There is a considerable difference between nationalism and patriotism. While nationalism emphasizes a unity of cultural past with inclusion of the language and heritage, patriotism is based on love towards people with a greater emphasis on values and beliefs."

I guess the real question is, do values in nations change much over time, or do they remain as relevant and applicable as in the past; and should they be consistently applied and followed? Now that is a tough question. And it probably comes down to two political party lines, unfortunately. Preservation or progress?

P. S. Interesting picture choice. Why did you pick that, out of curiosity?

[FriendlyDrugDealer]

I like street / nature photography and I just wanted something that represented the average American and has the word USA at the same time

[ShadezMcgee]

Because Patriotism seems to go hand in hand with everything that established us as a nation. We came here to escape tyranny and be free and in the process became colonizing tyrants by committing genocide of the country's true native population.

Now love of country in today's culture means you are the problem because it carries sins of the past and that is all they see. You support the military and their brainwashed puppets, even after the crimes in Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq, etc? You are a facist! You believe we are the best country, even though we don't have free health care, gun violence, poverty, and a capitalist structure? You don't care about anything or anyone else!

It gets set as the foundation of evil for a lot of people these days. You can't be proud of your country and support it because it is showing support for believed failed policies, ideals, and things we should be ashamed for despite us not having direct affiliation with it outside of the fact we were born here.

[Pot8o]

I think the issue is how you define it.

E. g. in the aftermath of 9/11, the Bush Administration and its boosters called anyone opposed to their evil deeds "traitors". They called mass surveillance the "Patriot Act". That culture spread by contagion to its allies in the Western World, as well as to dictatorships: calling your enemies "terrorists", your political rivals "traitors", and yourselves "patriots".

So in my opinion the word is tarnished.

[jshm2]

Yep as it often traverses the thin line of jingoism easily.

Bring it down to your local level. Do you "love" your area? Then it means you're "happy" with the levels of drugs, crime and inequality there as well.

Not saying you should hate everything for what little bad it has. But always ensure you're not going overboard, or forgetting what can be improved.

[Avicenna]

Well, if you don't identify with your own country, what do you identify with? And who says your country has to be perfect to be proud of?

Some people choose to identify with what is in effect global Communism. Identifying with that rather than your own society is what doesn't make sense.

[Pot8o]

I see Hitler's tired old tropes are still doing the rounds. Some people identify as humanists. Some identify as "sentientists". Both make more sense than nationalism.

[Avicenna]

@Pot8o; I see the anti-Semites are the ones still doing the rounds. Regardless of what propaganda label you put on yourself, you're still a totalitarian with no other identity (fittingly named after Pol Pot) and no other purpose in life but to destroy the freedom and identity of others.

[Avicenna]

The world is a very large place. You can't run it centrally (not that reality matters to you).

[Pot8o]

Pot8o = Poteighto = Potato

[Avicenna]

@Pot8o : Nope, it’s Pol Pot 1980 (you were slightly off on celebrating the Killing Fields).

[RealMarek]

The problem with patriotism in the US today is that the elite exploit it by using lies to get people to participate in and support wars that serve only to enrich the elite.

[Anonymous]

It's the way Americans are. We're individuals. We're indoctrinated from birth to be capitalists and to be competitive to be driven towards success. It's not till somebody or something forces us to unite against a common enemy that you see the patriotism come out.

[Agape93]

Patriotism is fine until it becomes nationalism or delusional

[Googlemyahoo]

All the losers/nerds/introverts from the 70-80s grew up & became teachers/professors & teach all the things they didn’t like and or fit into are bad and toxic.

That’s basically what’s happening

[Cubus]

It's mostly because left-wingers think that "patriotism" is the same as "nationalism" when those are two different things.

[NathanDavis]

is it wrong?

because I am twice as Patriotic... with both of my nations

[exitseven]

It is only wrong with the democrats. Patriotism is a good thing.

[FilmGuy93]

People associate nationalism with war and other bad things

[Esperdragon]

i think we as humans are all just one race and it doesn't make sense to be "patriotic" to one ethnic group. We should all be patriotic to humanity, because together we can achieve more

[msc545]

Patriotism is very difficult when you live in a country that routinely commits war crimes and tortures people.

[joeldalton]

It's not even wrong to be a nationalist much less patriotic.

[Agagagagaga]

Only in the West is nationalism a four letter word.

You think the Chinese think nationalism is a bad thing?

[joeldalton]

@Agagagagaga exactly.

[SmokinAces2000]

I don’t care what people do but I’m not gonna be patriotic for this country

[Alltheflowers84]

No. Not wrong.

[moosesixty]

Cuz then people think you're racist

[Jouth]

drugs are gay

[FriendlyDrugDealer]

Random but cool?

[Jouth]

thanks bro