ToonForum - Newcastle United Forum

Why/why not?

A short question but I'd just like to know people's opinions on the matter.

Yes. Don't even really know why since I hate most of the things in this country, but it's home so I will always love it.

No. Patrioism is 'devoted love, support, and defense of one's country; national loyalty', therefore I am not patriotic; I have no reason to offer devoted support and love to, or to take pride in, any one particular country over all others. I dislike the concept of patriotism to begin with because it is merely an extension of tribalism; which is a form of blind support that I can't say I'd be happy to be consciously guilty of, despite all humans lapsing into this instinct at times anyway. And then looking at my home country; there is so strikingly little of it that I can be proud of, from the structure of its government to its media and popular culture, that I actually have no foundations on which to claim to be a patriot without being blatantly hypocritical.

Short answer: No, I dislike patriotism as a rule because I couldn't subscribe myself blindly to loving one place purely because I happened to be born there. Also I know no country that I would like enough on the whole to be devoted to.

Yes. No idea why but i am.

skalpel wrote:No. Patrioism is 'devoted love, support, and defense of one's country; national loyalty', therefore I am not patriotic; I have no reason to offer devoted support and love to, or to take pride in, any one particular country over all others. I dislike the concept of patriotism to begin with because it is merely an extension of tribalism; which is a form of blind support that I can't say I'd be happy to be consciously guilty of, despite all humans lapsing into this instinct at times anyway. And then looking at my home country; there is so strikingly little of it that I can be proud of, from the structure of its government to its media and popular culture, that I actually have no foundations on which to claim to be a patriot without being blatantly hypocritical.

Short answer: No, I dislike patriotism as a rule because I couldn't subscribe myself blindly to loving one place purely because I happened to be born there. Also I know no country that I would like enough on the whole to be devoted to.

This, entirely. Summed it up better than I could.

Smudger wrote:

skalpel wrote:No. Patrioism is 'devoted love, support, and defense of one's country; national loyalty', therefore I am not patriotic; I have no reason to offer devoted support and love to, or to take pride in, any one particular country over all others. I dislike the concept of patriotism to begin with because it is merely an extension of tribalism; which is a form of blind support that I can't say I'd be happy to be consciously guilty of, despite all humans lapsing into this instinct at times anyway. And then looking at my home country; there is so strikingly little of it that I can be proud of, from the structure of its government to its media and popular culture, that I actually have no foundations on which to claim to be a patriot without being blatantly hypocritical.

Short answer: No, I dislike patriotism as a rule because I couldn't subscribe myself blindly to loving one place purely because I happened to be born there. Also I know no country that I would like enough on the whole to be devoted to.

This, entirely. Summed it up better than I could.

These.

Loving your own country doesn't mean you have to hate all others or think you are superior to them.

The Dream Boat wrote:Loving your own country doesn't mean you have to hate all others or think you are superior to them.

Exactly, it just means your proud of where your from, theres nothing wrong with that.

Obertans Magic Head wrote:

The Dream Boat wrote:Loving your own country doesn't mean you have to hate all others or think you are superior to them.

Exactly, it just means your proud of where your from, theres nothing wrong with that.

But that's the question I'm asking, why are you proud?

I want curly hair wrote: But that's the question I'm asking, why are you proud?

Because this is where im from. Im proud to be from the north east, im proud to be from England, Im proud to be British. There is no real reason except that this is where im from.

I'm not proud to be from here, why should I be? I could just as well have been born in any other country, why be blindly loyal to one just because you live there?

skalpel wrote:No. Patrioism is 'devoted love, support, and defense of one's country; national loyalty', therefore I am not patriotic; I have no reason to offer devoted support and love to, or to take pride in, any one particular country over all others. I dislike the concept of patriotism to begin with because it is merely an extension of tribalism; which is a form of blind support that I can't say I'd be happy to be consciously guilty of, despite all humans lapsing into this instinct at times anyway. And then looking at my home country; there is so strikingly little of it that I can be proud of, from the structure of its government to its media and popular culture, that I actually have no foundations on which to claim to be a patriot without being blatantly hypocritical.

Short answer: No, I dislike patriotism as a rule because I couldn't subscribe myself blindly to loving one place purely because I happened to be born there. Also I know no country that I would like enough on the whole to be devoted to.

Yet you support a football team, a form of 'tribalism'?



I'm patriotic in terms of i love where i come from. I would happily defend it if i had to, but only if i believed the aggressors had no right to attack Jersey and i would never blindly support anything simply because it's positive for Jersey either (if it's to the detriment of any other country that is).

Obertans Magic Head wrote:

I want curly hair wrote: But that's the question I'm asking, why are you proud?

Because this is where im from. Im proud to be from the north east, im proud to be from England, Im proud to be British. There is no real reason except that this is where im from.

This. Everyone here is a football fan, perhaps the most pathetic form of tribalism there is in the world. You can't explain it you just love your team. I don't know why I joined the armed forces, just a sense of duty.

You'veBeenTiote'd wrote:Yet you support a football team, a form of 'tribalism'?

I don't feel a sense of pride or devout loyalty to the team though. I don't think it even needs mentioning that I'm possibly the forum member who is the least interested in football but I still enjoy following the sport and I'd argue that it's nothing to do with tribalism at all. If you have a favourite snooker or tennis player and watch him regularly does that mean that you are acting through tribalism? I'd say no, it's a form of entertainment which you don't have to back up with devout pride and loyalty. Like I said immediately after the part you put in bold, all humans are innately tribalistic to a certain degree; we have our favourite things that we latch onto, we're social creatures and creatures of habit. But as for being consciously tribalistic; offering my unfailing pride, loyalty and support I can honestly say I'm not like that at all when it comes to sport.

Yes. I would say I am Patriotic. I love my country, I love my land and I would defend it if asked upon.

I am grateful for where I was born, but I am not patriotic.

nobbys trumpet wrote:I am grateful for where I was born, but I am not patriotic.

This.

I do not express or have great devotion for this country, having been born in Germany and moving to the UK when I was seven, I consider myself to be British but I do not deny my German origins. My dad is British and was stationed over there in the armed force where he met my mam who is German. I don't know I mainly call myself British but I do say I am half German despite living among the British when I lived over there anyway.

But I am not patriotic at all unlike my dad.

I wouldn't say I'm patriotic, but I do defend the England when people slag off England, and say how much better it is 'back home' when it clearly isn't. For example I got into an argument with someone from the Afghanistan after he said that forcing women to wear headscarves meant that they were more respected there than here.

I'm patriotic, i'm just proud of my roots and the country i'm from