Thursday, June 18, 2009

I've never understood having pride in ones country. It's really all about taking pride in accomplishments you had nothing to do with and couldn't possibly have influenced. Why limit yourself to the country you reside in? Maybe I just lack discipline. If I leave my house and happen to notice something extraordinary being accomplished, I might feel a sharp twinge of pride over the fact that such a thing could occur in my own neighborhood on a busy sidewalk at four in the afternoon. If, however, word reached me that the same thing had been accomplished in Csömör Hungary that very afternoon, nothing would stop me from expanding my pride to the appropriate benefactors overseas. My pride is indiscriminate, which makes it very hard to be a sports fan. I'm just constantly delighted by whoever wins. In battle I'd be the soldier that congratulates the enemy for each man they kill. My pride is a beast that cannot be contained.

If I could limit the scope of my pride, it probably wouldn't leave my apartment. I'd have pride in myself, my furniture, my various collectables, and the ants that appear whenever I drop something. If I was feeling charitable I might have pride in the family that owns the apartment, but only because they're just upstairs. I'd have pride in anyone who came to visit as long as they were here, but as soon as they left my pride in them would cease, regardless of who they are or what they've accomplished.

But to consciously limit ones pride to their country? That's just nuts.

6 comments:

Dan Guenther said...

Try having dual-nationality, then you really realize what hypocritical societal expectations really are.

Miguel Serna said...

Finnally you write in your blog!

Great text

Anonymous said...

Reminds me of sports, where people still have pride in their home team even if the team is stuffed with players who moved there from other places...

(Lorelei)

sighmoan said...

Dan Guenther speaks the truth... When subjected to contrary forces, neither makes sense.

Morr said...

I have always been proud of america's achievements. Which must not be healthy as I am european.

Bilby P. Dalgyte said...

I do that! Sorta. Well in online video games I congratulate the (non-cheating) people who manage to completely own me with pure skill. Good sportsman ship should never be ignored for the sake of a b*** fight over a firefight you lost. (I am always so close to getting the flag back to the base... so close...)

I don't get pride in one's country either. Sure, Australia never has anything really majorly bad but then again what has it achieved and how am I a part of it? It's a piece of land you were born on. Other people on other spots of land are the same. Let's all be proud of the world for being sections of landmass we can live on. Yay! :)

I like landmasses.