(2) Why nationalism?

[Conradus]

Nationalism is the best way to preserve the peace. Before the rise in nationalistic feelings, you had a more feudal-oriented society, and more violent society. For example.

The greatest war humanity has known come after the advent of nationalism. Have we forgotten them? The society certainly didn't become less violent with nationalism.

I can't say I know anything about nationalism. I'm not nationalistic in any case. I can't see why I should love my country more because I happen to be born in it. For the same reason I can't see why other men should love their country enough to die for it. After all, it are just borders that were once drawn.
Of course I'd hate to live in a country where they don't share the cultural values I'm accustomed too, but that's because I've raised with them. And I consider them to be better than most. But I'm probably biased. As sort of cultural nationalism then.

am I showing nationalistic feats?

[seireikhaan]

Well, I am not nationalistic. I hear so often, people saying we should support the war, support our president, etc... I ask why, and they give me some kind of incredulous look like I'm some kind of traitor, and they say, "well, because you're American and should support Americans". Again, I ask why I should uphold that belief that I should support Americans just for being Americans. They never seem to get any answer that adequately answers. Additionally, the ways in which nationalism can be twisted and warped can result in terrible, destructive events, and to bigotry and racism as well. Simply, I see no reason to be a nationalist, and I'm far too wary of the potential consquences of it to support it.

[Don Corleone]

"My country, right or wrong" is definitely not my motto either, GK. But that's not the only version of Nationalism out there. You could argue that anybody that doesn't believe in a 1-world government is inherently a Nationalist. Why should Americans get to control America's great wealth and resources? Shouldn't the good people of Myanamar have as much to say about the running of the New York Stock Exchange as the SEC? I mean, after all, the SEC is very exclusionary... only Americans are in it. That's very Nationalistic.

[Boyar Son]

The greatest war humanity has known come after the advent of nationalism. Have we forgotten them? The society certainly didn't become less violent with nationalism.

Well the Greeks united using nationalism to defeat the persians a couple times, and by doing that they saved their particular form of society which we use today

Nationalism isnt all that bad, but when everyone has it and tesions start to rise as to who's better and who should have this and that...then we have another world war (I).

[Conradus]

Well the Greeks united using nationalism to defeat the persians a couple times, and by doing that they saved their particular form of society which we use today

You care to tell me when this was?
At Marathon, it were only the Athenians who fought. They received no help whatsoever from other city-states.
10 years later, Thermopylae, Salamis, Plataeae, not even half of all Greek city-states supported the Greek army fighting the Persians. The Greeks certainly weren't nationalistic in a Greek way, the Hellenic world wasn't considered a 'nation'. Each polis was however a nation. You can't call it nationalism that triggered their response to Persian actions.

He did say that it has prevented violence WITHIN a nation, not without. Which is entirely true. Nationalism has brought peace and stability on the inside, but created huge barriers towards other nations, resulting in a bunch of wars and ethnic cleansing of "the others".

Indeed, he said inside, should've read that message more carefully before responding. Although, after nationalism we still had the expulsion of outsiders. The Jews and Roma in particular suffered then.

[HoreTore]

The greatest war humanity has known come after the advent of nationalism. Have we forgotten them? The society certainly didn't become less violent with nationalism.

He did say that it has prevented violence WITHIN a nation, not without. Which is entirely true. Nationalism has brought peace and stability on the inside, but created huge barriers towards other nations, resulting in a bunch of wars and ethnic cleansing of "the others".

Also, I don't see what Socialism has to do with being generous at all.

A common error people make, learn to live with it... As I see it, socialism is best described with the words of our former union leader; "do your duty, demand your right". I suppose the misconception is due to the fact that we want to help the people who are not doing their duty, not punish them, to make them do what they should(in the interest of ze glorius red reich, etc etc)...

And you know Don, that I hate lazy brats just as much as you do