Lately, I am more often asked why I am not patriotic. But I am.
It’s a strange notion anyway: Loving the country where you where randomly born and being loyal to this country is pretty irrational. But it’s something you can’t help doing. The rational part of it involves questioning everything, in particular government policies and actions, which is followed by criticism or praise. Criticism and/or praise out of love and loyality.
Patriotism, for me, involves paying attention and taking action, having obligations and rights. Being a part of something, you are responsible for the whole.
As a Belarusian I have always followed events in neighbouring Ukraine, and recently, ever more closely. Ukraine and Moldova are the only two post-Soviet countries to increase the power of the parliament over the president, the only two which are not afraid of a change of power. Look at Kiev and Chisinau! “Chaos,” would you say? “Possibilities” is my first thought, “no fear of change” is my second.
Orange Revolution leader Viktor Yushchenko won by a slender majority five years ago and now, with his miserable 5 percent of votes, he will depart without transferring power to an appointed successor as has become traditional in this part of Europe. Moreover, Kiev’s foreign policy won’t suffer any substantial changes. And society seems to accept this, even if it considers the elections to be a choice between lesser evils.
And that’s patriotism for me: Having your point of view and having your say, making decisions with both your heart and your mind.
#1 by Scott Swickard on January 21, 2010 - 9:47 pm
Maryna,
Dear…you have it exactly correct! You are a patriot! Be proud of this freedom, but always remember…Freedom is NEVER Free! If it is what you want then you must take the necessary risks, whatever they might be, and do your absolute best to see them through! However, this must be done only in an honorable way, or the victory is hollow and means nothing good.
By the way…do you REALLY fit in a suitcase???
Hugs for You, Patriot!
Scott(Col.,OH,USA)
#2 by Jean-Baptiste Perrin on January 22, 2010 - 10:48 am
Nice article, a brilliant way of defining modern and critical patriotism.
#3 by Duncan on January 22, 2010 - 1:31 pm
Truly a lesson that many, in EU countries, in Belarus and for that matter anywhere else, should learn. What is best for your (as in anyone’s, not specifically Belarus!) country is fair, constructive critism and proportional, balanced praise of its actions and systems rather than praise for your country because it is your country.
It is a shame that so many people who are inclined to be patriotic don’t take this approach and instead prefer to resort to blind nationalism and xenophobia.
#4 by Geoff on January 24, 2010 - 5:21 pm
Agree with ..Duncan..
Unfortunately the mechanisms that the UK has used (or rather not used)..regarding EU membership ,has made a large part of the population feel disenfranchised in matters of “democracy”.
In could have been handled so much better.
The result is the very nationalistic patriotism which can be so negative.
Perhaps if governments where to treat the electorate as adults….they may get an adult response.
The UK Parliament is mired in scandal…..we trust very few of them anymore…..this further muddies the water of debate and decision making on our future, which is at such an important point at the moment.
#5 by Al on January 25, 2010 - 6:05 am
Why isn’t it rational loving the place you were randomly born? Why would something not rational have evolved in us? We are hard-wired to identify with the groups around us – and to feel comfortable with what is familiar; it goes back tens/hundreds of thousands of years. It is human nature and no amount of American style globalisation is going to change that.
#6 by Duncan on January 25, 2010 - 5:43 pm
Geoff, sadly true. Not that much more to say, just that the UK’s political system is a bit rubbish to be honest!
Al, regarding the question: “Why would something not rational have evolved in us?”
Loads of reasons. We evolved in a different habitat with different selective pressure, evolution does not preclude things evolving for no good reason, evolution does not produce perfection, evolution does not necessarily favour logic over instinct and selective pressure only applies if not meeting the selection criteria would kill you before you reproduce. For the sake of brevity I will refrain from elaborating but if you ask I will elaborate on any or all of those things.
Something being human nature does not make it logical or moral or even advantageous in the modern world. Human nature is sometimes something to be fought against rather than embraced – if someone has a violent nature it doesn’t mean that they shouldn’t try and go against it.
#7 by Al on January 27, 2010 - 5:25 am
Duncan, I agree something being human nature does not make it moral (I’ll leave out a complex discussion of what’s “logical”).
I’m just being practical; we need to work with human nature as much as possible – or failure is likely. I understand it takes about 50,000 years for natural selection to have a significant impact. Given that is the case, we are going to have to live with what is currently “hard wired” into us for some time to come – sorry to say.