redstarshining
15th January 2003, 13:20
I was just having a discussion with a few friends of mine about whether or not it is legitimate to be "proud" of belonging to a certain ethnicity, culture or nation.
Personally, I do not think so. Nobody can choose what culture or nationality he is born into, so what sense does it make to be proud of it?
I think that if people feel the need to define their identity by such factors, instead of being proud of their own achievements, it is a sign for a latent sickness in society. It indicates that the current form of our society does not offer the necessary space for people to find to their own identity. One of the reasons may be that
everyone is a little part in a huge chain of processes of work. These processes require the worker to invest a huge amount of work, but at the end of the process chain is something of very little value to society as a whole. I can not identify with my work, and I bet most working class people feel the same. Work however, is the foundation of any society.
Of course, now you could say, then I'll just identify with my 'culture'. Except of nationality there is nothing which makes your culture "your" culture. Each culture is more or less just the product of many foreign cultures. You can like it or hate it, but although you are part of it you have little or no influence on it. I'm unsure of this one.
Also, if you are proud of a nation, not a nationality, you are proud of EVERYTHING that is part of that nation, also it's history, which makes as much sense as being proud of the planet, or proud of the universe.
But before I go on, does anyone know the "official" definition of pride? Can you be proud of someone elses achievements?
Rightwing nationalism is everywhere on the rise, even my closest friends tell me they are "proud to be german" although they have NO CLUE what pride means. Instead of arguing reasonably many of them are playing the "look like a true individual and question the holocaust game". Sometimes I just want to shoot myself. Or maybe I'll move to the northpole or Greenland.
Personally, I do not think so. Nobody can choose what culture or nationality he is born into, so what sense does it make to be proud of it?
I think that if people feel the need to define their identity by such factors, instead of being proud of their own achievements, it is a sign for a latent sickness in society. It indicates that the current form of our society does not offer the necessary space for people to find to their own identity. One of the reasons may be that
everyone is a little part in a huge chain of processes of work. These processes require the worker to invest a huge amount of work, but at the end of the process chain is something of very little value to society as a whole. I can not identify with my work, and I bet most working class people feel the same. Work however, is the foundation of any society.
Of course, now you could say, then I'll just identify with my 'culture'. Except of nationality there is nothing which makes your culture "your" culture. Each culture is more or less just the product of many foreign cultures. You can like it or hate it, but although you are part of it you have little or no influence on it. I'm unsure of this one.
Also, if you are proud of a nation, not a nationality, you are proud of EVERYTHING that is part of that nation, also it's history, which makes as much sense as being proud of the planet, or proud of the universe.
But before I go on, does anyone know the "official" definition of pride? Can you be proud of someone elses achievements?
Rightwing nationalism is everywhere on the rise, even my closest friends tell me they are "proud to be german" although they have NO CLUE what pride means. Instead of arguing reasonably many of them are playing the "look like a true individual and question the holocaust game". Sometimes I just want to shoot myself. Or maybe I'll move to the northpole or Greenland.