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> Nationalists are not motivated by reason. It's curious how nationalists, who often claim their stance is grounded in objective truths, almost always champion
by olalonde 2y ago
> Nationalists are not motivated by reason.
It's curious how nationalists, who often claim their stance is grounded in objective truths, almost always champion the nation of their birth.
- dotancohen 2y agoFrom what I've gathered trying to talk to reasonable people who have different points of view from me, the main concern is preserving one's way of life. Their culture. I've heard the phrase "the more of the third world you bring in, the more similar your country will be to the third world". And be there no mistake - the countries that these people call "third world" don't want European or American culture infiltrating their societies either.
- olalonde 2y agoThat was sort of my point: it's not a reasoned stance (e.g. culture X is objectively superior), but an emotional one (e.g. I have an emotional attachment to culture X).
- dotancohen 2y agoLet's be honest. Would you want to live in a culture where only certain people, based on factors that happened before they were born, can or cannot work? Pay less or more taxes? Can or cannot own land? Where women cannot walk freely outside? Do you feel that your culture is better than that? Would you consider that an emotional attachment to your culture?
- olalonde 2y agoI would say you could have those preferences and values without being a nationalist. In fact, there are dozens of nations who share those values.
- dotancohen 2y agoAnd which of those nations are not nationalists?
- lb1lf 2y agoThere's this quip (sounds like something Ambrose Bierce would say) Edit: It was G.B. Shaw! 'Patriotism is the conviction that the country of your birth is superior to others because you were born in it.'