-
I apologise if I've made lazy, crass, tired generalistions. I'm happy to have them pointed out. It'll help me stop making them again.
Though there is a significant difference in my eyes between ethnic nationalism and civic nationalism. I've seen it first hand both where I grew up ( London/South East) and where I've been for the last 10 years nearly. (Edinburgh).
I'm happy to be corrected or pointed in the right direction to additional resource to learn more.
-
Except when it's civic nationalism.
You seem to have real trouble with the concept but it's the reality.
-
Nationalism is inherently divisive.
Depends how you define nationalism and what you define as being nationalism, as I'm sure Wittgenstein would have been happy to point out had he been a LFGSSer.
You are reading a single comment by @Fox and its replies.
Click here to read the full conversation.
bazschmaz
johnnyhotdog
Brommers
@Fox
Nationalism is all the same. It's based on the idea that one country is more special than the rest, which is clearly rubbish. It is characterised by a belief that your country is superior to others. It imagines shared communal identification and characteristics which don't really exist.
This is what we're constantly hearing from the SNP, often codified as criticism of Westminster because it's legitimate to criticise a parliament but not a country or its culture. It's what we're also hearing from you @bazschmaz in your lazy, tired caricatures, your crass generalisations about English people.
People are people, all over the world. Yes, different countries have different values and cultures, but our common humanity unites us.
The philosopher A.C. Grayling said that nations were artificial constructs, "their boundaries drawn in the blood of past wars". Orwell said it was "power-hunger tempered by self-deception." Einstein famously said "Nationalism is an infantile disease. ... It is the measles of mankind."
Nationalism is inherently divisive. It highlights perceived differences between people. It is regressive bollocks. However you want to dress it up.