NEM 220514 - Patriots and Nations

Welcome to Never-Ending Musings! A weekly collection of thoughts from SK Kage.

Political conversations are an uneasy and precarious endeavor for me. I struggle to maintain my views with the fervor the numerous sides of the political spectrum seem to demand. Perhaps I am too easily convinced by an argument well-made, but mayhap it is equally probable others are too stubborn in the face of debate. Regardless, I am wary towards those which hold their country in the highest esteem.
Nations are not flawless for the simple fact people are not. The acknowledgement of imperfection or flaws is vital to proper growth and understanding, but this need not be accompanied by disappointment or lack of pride. I assure you humans are complex enough to simultaneously hold both immaculate pride in and a deep desire for improvement of the same thing.
As such, consider nationalism and patriotism. The nuance between them is lost on many who equate the two. They are surely related as the head and tail of a coin, but they instill fundamentally different perspectives. Yet, they are not opposites. Thus, I posit the following statement:
Nationalism is the belief your country is better than others.
Patriotism is the belief you can better your country.
Note that these are not mutually exclusive. A patriot may have a nationalist streak leading to a tightly focused yearning to isolate into an ivory tower, scraping the heavens as it reigns above others. A nationalist may adopt an almost religious reverence for their country yet come forward with plans to shift the dogma to one of greater strength.
Where the danger lies is in the nationalist who believes their nation perfection incarnate and that others must adhere to their tenets. Are there truths, rights, and laws all nations should abide by? Yes, but the breadth of legal institutions is not limited to these fundamentals. The diversity of humanity is a critical facet of growth and evolution, and not just biologically. Where we too often fail is in cutting away beneficial diversity for stagnant conformity.
- SK

Prepare to Fight

Protect the world from devastation,
Unite all peoples within our nation,
Extend our reach to the stars above,
Ascribe the King all your love.
Well... it's close to what I expected. Reminds me of the Aemark military codex.

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