Nationalism is a much bigger social issue than racism

[stealthbomber]

racism is more of a domestic problem that is constantly becoming less and less of an issue imo. not saying that its gone, but compared to the 60s we've come a long way.

nationalism, on the other hand, is a global problem that seems to only become worse as a country grows. and the biggest issue with nationalism is we can't "see" it. racism is relatively local and its easy to "see" how it affects people. nationalism affects entire populations of countries. i mean take a step back and think about the US.

we're a great country that has a level of freedom most people around the world only dream of. but we also have so many problems with our government, why would we step into a foreign country and attempt to set up a restructure theirs? its the biggest waste of resources imaginable, especially when the country doesnt want us in there to begin with.

some would argue its the mulitnational coporations wanting to set up infrastructure or our own government wanting to expand its influence to new areas. but i think it boils down to us wanting the world to be american. we feel as if were the greatest people on earth and anyone who isn't following our system of government/economy/social structure/etc is wrong.

and im not trying to say that we're a terrible influence or our way of living is wrong, but for staunch 100 generations deep fundamentalist muslims living in the middle east that may not be their idea of a righteous society.

sorry for the essay, i saw that thread about race and we just talked about nationalism in my soc/poli phil class and i had to get that off my chest. comments? agree/disagree?

 

[zerozero]

I think nationalism has its uses but in the end it's based on a fiction... countries are arbitrary entities

I think right wing nationalism is definitely a destructive thing though... we just have to look at the 20th century to see that lol

 

[mbewane]

I can agree with a lot of the stuff you posted OP...nationalism in my opinion is patriotism's "evil twin"...ain't nothing bad being proud of your country: to be honest, I am sometimes impressed at how Americans are proud of being Americans ...it's a positive feeling and creates a sense of community...BUT nationalism is never far behind, as we experience(d) in Europe, which means that Europe has steadily moved away from anything resembling patriotism, which has therefore been scooped up by extreme-right parties...

For me patriotism is saying "I love my country", nationalism is saying "I love my country, and other countries suck". Once you go that road, it's very easy to say "Well, since my country is great and other countries/cultures/religions suck, let's spread the good word/democracy/our values", whether they want it or not because hey, we know what's good for you!

But nationalism is not necessarily what I believe you are talking about, a form of expansionism. Both can go hand in hand (as I think is the case in the US) but I think that more often than nationalism tends to focus on the "homeland".

 

[theworldismine13]

this is a meaningless post, first you havent even defined nationalism

second humans are fundamentally and genetically tribalistic so they will always divide themselves into tribes, if they dont divide themselves into different nations they would divide themselves along other lines and then you would write a post saying _____ is a bigger social issue....

 

[VerbalIntercourse]

There are multiple nations in the United States.

If there wasn't a strong federal government, I'd suspect the country would break up in short order.

The south is nation. The midwest is a nation. The black community is definitely a nation.

honestly, nobody will really know the true nations in the USA unless the Federal government fails, and the spheres of power begin to emerge.

 

[IrishBrother]

Nationalism is on the rise throughout europe so you all better get used to it, this situation in Greece is only one small part of the big picture as as stated before when people are pushed to the extreme anything can happen, people like Geert Wilders have a vision of change for all of europe and to be honest it is not a matter about if this is going to happen its a matter of when,this situation has been created by corrupt greedy and ignorant politicians who have lied , cheated and stolen from the people who trusted them. A wise man once said tolerance and apathy are a sign of a falling civilisation......

 

[IrishBrother]

I can agree with a lot of the stuff you posted OP...nationalism in my opinion is patriotism's "evil twin"...ain't nothing bad being proud of your country: to be honest, I am sometimes impressed at how Americans are proud of being Americans ...it's a positive feeling and creates a sense of community...BUT nationalism is never far behind, as we experience(d) in Europe, which means that Europe has steadily moved away from anything resembling patriotism, which has therefore been scooped up by extreme-right parties...

For me patriotism is saying "I love my country", nationalism is saying "I love my country, and other countries suck". Once you go that road, it's very easy to say "Well, since my country is great and other countries/cultures/religions suck, let's spread the good word/democracy/our values", whether they want it or not because hey, we know what's good for you!

But nationalism is not necessarily what I believe you are talking about, a form of expansionism. Both can go hand in hand (as I think is the case in the US) but I think that more often than nationalism tends to focus on the "homeland".

We? Our people where in our ethnic homelands during both ww. We are as european as chow mein.

 

[Serious]

Nationalism is on the rise throughout europe so you all better get used to it, this situation in Greece is only one small part of the big picture as as stated before when people are pushed to the extreme anything can happen, people like Geert Wilders have a vision of change for all of europe and to be honest it is not a matter about if this is going to happen its a matter of when,this situation has been created by corrupt greedy and ignorant politicians who have lied , cheated and stolen from the people who trusted them. A wise man once said tolerance and apathy are a sign of a falling civilization......

came in here to say this.

Time to call in HL's European expert, @88m3

 

[theworldismine13]

Nationalism is on the rise throughout europe so you all better get used to it, this situation in Greece is only one small part of the big picture as as stated before when people are pushed to the extreme anything can happen, people like Geert Wilders have a vision of change for all of europe and to be honest it is not a matter about if this is going to happen its a matter of when,this situation has been created by corrupt greedy and ignorant politicians who have lied , cheated and stolen from the people who trusted them. A wise man once said tolerance and apathy are a sign of a falling civilisation......

a lot of that is racism and a lot of that is just a normal human reaction,

regardless of "nationalism" no group of people is going to accept another group of people into their midst without a negative reaction, thats kind of an absurd expectation

and again how exactly are you defining "nationalism"

 

[IrishBrother]

a lot of that is racism and a lot of that is just a normal human reaction,

regardless of "nationalism" no group of people is going to accept another group of people into their midst without a negative reaction, thats kind of an absurd expectation

and again how exactly are you defining "nationalism"

europes absorbed tens of millions of non europeans since the 60s whilst getting little in return other than some cool new foods, higher crime rates, balkanization of working class areas and a trillion euro welfare bill. when times are good, peoplw will remain tolerant. but now that europeans aint got a pot to piss in, tolerance goes out the window. multiculturalism has been an abject failure and when e.u eventually fails i see largescale repatrion of large swathes of europess minorities. especially those poor roma gypsies.

ethnic, blood and soil nationalism. its rise is as inevitable as it is dangerous.

 

[VerbalIntercourse]

europes absorbed tens of millions of non europeans since the 60s whilst getting little in return other than some cool new foods, higher crime rates, balkanization of working class areas and a trillion euro welfare bill. when times are good, peoplw will remain tolerant. but now that europeans aint got a pot to piss in, tolerance goes out the window. multiculturalism has been an abject failure and when e.u eventually fails i see largescale repatrion of large swathes of europess minorities. especially those poor roma gypsies.

ethnic, blood and soil nationalism. its rise is as inevitable as it is dangerous.

Europe biggest mistake was importing nations rather than people. The immigrants in Europe refuse to integrate.

I remember watching a skynews clip where a Caribbean man was complaining that his neighbor had the British national flag in this front yard. WTH?

If the immigrants in Britain don't have positive feelings about the British flag, then there is tension that is just waiting to boil over. They don't feel apart of that country and they never will.

Personally I think that is very rude and disrespectful. If that was any other country in the world besides Britain, that dude would have got ass whooped by the native people.

 

[Food Mane]

ethnic nationalism is a serious problem. Blood and Belonging by Michael Ignatieff is a good read on the subject.

 

[IrishBrother]

ethnic nationalism is a serious problem. Blood and Belonging by Michael Ignatieff is a good read on the subject.

the alcoholic wreck in your thumbnail subscribes to the cornerstone of ethnic nationalism. jus sanguin nationality and citizenship laws.

 

[Slaimon Khan Shah]

We have to avoid nationalism, racism, and tribalism as they all lead to the hellfire. Islam (Submission to The Creator) leads to Paradise.

 

[Food Mane]

the alcoholic wreck in your thumbnail subscribes to the cornerstone of ethnic nationalism. jus sanguin nationality and citizenship laws.

I compartmentalize.