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I just see it as dangerous to allow nationalistic jingoism any more air than it's getting recently.
Well, we're agreed on that! My (respectful ) disagreement is that I think it would be helpful if there was more - discussion rather than air - given to other aspects of national identity. For me there are similarities with gender (bear with me) - it's a social construct and you could say we'd be better off without it. But whether the media are shit or there's no logic to identifying a certain way, it doesn't change the fact that it matters to people. It just does. We don't say - well misogyny is the worst, so let's not allow any discussion of gender. You can't just force people to "drop it". Maybe it would be better to create examples that aren't about backwards misplaced superiority.
hoefla-
When I disagree with a theoretical position I don't engage with it. I can acknowledge it exists. In a real world context I'm not interested in discussing the benefits of Nationalism with anyone. I am interested in cooperating with my local community and family to try and keep us all a bit safer and communicating our needs, I don't think there's a kind of Nationalism that's going to help with that.
Airhead
I wouldn't disrespect someone entirely over just one aspect of their personality either. I am being a bit feisty about this. Ultimately I just see it as dangerous to allow nationalistic jingoism any more air than it's getting recently. Too many wishy washy arguments about it's ok for this reason or that. All that does is empowers the worst kind of nationalism in the dark recesses of peoples minds. We built the Spitfire because we're the greatest nation on earth sort of bullsh*t.
I just don't see an example of nationalism that doesn't have an air of superiority about it and there are plenty of other ways to galvanise people so we could just drop that one. I guess I'm just triggered!
Regarding intelligence, I call it as I see it. So many people unable to break out of very simple traps in life. Not really lazy, just working at the limit of their problem solving capacity and lacking the ability to solve anything more complex. Hanging on to a flawed model they have of how life should work because that's what they've learnt to do. Some well educated people lacking intelligence too. If people were as interested in economics or global politics as they are in 'strictly' I might change my mind.