RV life with Terapined

Quote: Mission146

I agree with V that a little patriotism is likely a positive thing, and I mean, a little.

Blind patriotism, on the other hand, is almost as detrimental as actively hating the country.

It's the difference between this quote said without the tail end. "My country right or wrong."

Actually was said. "“My country, right or wrong; if right, to be kept right; and if wrong, to be set right.”

It is instinctive for people to align with a group, be it family or tribe.

As civilization developed it was logical to expand the size of the affinity group for the betterment of all.

Patriotism is allegiance to your affinity group.

To live in a group yet disagree with its aims, goals and actions is OK if the change sought is rational, logical and sound, but if it is simply nihilistic, anarchistic nonsense then the nay-sayer should be held in check as their position serves no common good.

Quote: missedhervee

To live in a group yet disagree with its aims, goals and actions is OK if the change sought is rational, logical and sound, but if it is simply nihilistic, anarchistic nonsense then the nay-sayer should be held in check as their position serves no common good.

That of course is the problem since there is often no consensus on which side is which. Your "logical and sound" might be "nonsense" and vice/versa. Bottom line is that a statement like yours is just a platitude that sounds important and means absolutely nothing.

Quote: missedhervee

It is instinctive for people to align with a group, be it family or tribe.

As civilization developed it was logical to expand the size of the affinity group for the betterment of all.

Patriotism is allegiance to your affinity group.

To live in a group yet disagree with its aims, goals and actions is OK if the change sought is rational, logical and sound, but if it is simply nihilistic, anarchistic nonsense then the nay-sayer should be held in check as their position serves no common good.

Alliances are mostly unnecessary, barring very loose ones and we have evolved beyond the need to rely exclusively on instinct.

Hence, a SMALL amount of patriotism for one's country. I mean, it's not as if you have an immediate choice not to be part of it. You can take steps not to be part of it, but it's not a, "Click your fingers," sort of thing.

I can, "Click my fingers," and join a church, or some other group. I can, "Click my fingers," and decide that I am now affiliated with a different political party, at least, as far as self-identification goes.

It is for that reason that the need to feel as part of a group runs contrary to the course of our mental evolution and is a sign of significant intellectual weakness.

That is, of course, barring groups where membership is arguably borderline necessary or for which affiliations cannot easily be changed or withdrawn.

A little bit of patriotism is a good thing.

There is you; there is me; there is never a, 'We,' and never will be.

Quote: Mission146

A little bit of patriotism is a good thing.

Why is it good?

Quote: DRich

Why is it good?

I think it's good in the sense that it is beneficial.

It is beneficial because some individuals are intellectually incapable of contemplating virtually anything that exists outside of their own experiences. That being the case, their Universal perception is limited only to the Universe that they experience which is fundamentally no different than their experiences effectively being the Universe as far as they would know or understand it.

As a result, such intellectually limited people are not capable of coming to the realization that their lives are better, or at least had a better, 'Jumping off,' point just by virtue of the fact that they were born in this country as opposed to some other country. This is true when comparing a given American to a not insignificant percentage of the denizens of the world NOT located in the United States of America.

When we take these factors into consideration, it then occurs to us that, by logical extension, this country must not be THAT bad that we must be getting some things right---at least as far as average and minimum standards of living are concerned. We may not be #1, but we are, at least, certainly nowhere---and I mean NOWHERE---even close to the bottom.

Again, some people are too intellectually limited to even attempt to contemplate these things that you and I would consider trivially simple. Even if they had the thought of contemplating them, they probably wouldn't know how to even go about doing that such as to create a logical progression of ideas.

So, you replace that with just a little bit of unobjective patriotism and roughly the same end is met.

Worst countries in the world = Patriotism forced
Best countries in the world = Patriotism optional

Reality
7trh calvary under Custer
Almost 1/2 of the soldiers born overseas
Nobody would hire them due to racism and hatred in this country
The only job availible was the US Army
They have to eat. They joined the Army simply to survive due all the hatred in this country
They really had no choice
My Irish grandmother told me about the intense racist hatred for the Irish when she was growing up

Quote: terapined

Worst countries in the world = Patriotism forced
Best countries in the world = Patriotism optional

I agree 100%

Devils Tower
Fascinating
Not sure I believe the lava story
I prefer the Indians explanation
I walked around the entire tower