On the record about nationalism.

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I noticed that nationalism has kind of been on the rise lately, I mean with the election of Trump, with Brexit, with anti-immigrant sentiment growing in America and Europe, and even with the autistic nationalism that appears occasionally on this site. Honestly though I think it's going to fail badly and I am posting for no other reason than to be "on the record" as saying so.

What I am doing here could backfire. This whole nationalism thing could workout somehow, in which case I could end up looking like an idiot, and I wouldn't blame people for calling me one. However given nationalism's tragic track record, like as bad or worse than communism track record, I don't think that's what's going to happen.

I wish I could convince people not to be so nationalistic, but I was never good at convincing anyone of anything. Also, from what I read, it's really hard to convince people to be less nationalistic, even if you are of the more persuasive type. So with my dignity on the table, I am betting against Trump, against Brexit, against the anti-immigration sentiment, and despite being autistic myself, I am betting against autistic nationalism.

I am also betting for some things. I am throwing my lot with tolerance, with diversity, and international cooperation.

That's it. I hope everyone has a nice day.

I've been waiting for a chance to retrieve this list from my archives.

Patriotism: A sense of personal identification with the country.
Nationalism: A sense of personal identification with the government.

Patriotism: Equality, Liberty, and Justice for All.
Nationalism: Equality, Liberty, and Justice for the Privileged Few.

Patriotism: Fighting Nazis.
Nationalism: Being Nazis.

Patriotism: Freedom of Press, Speech, and Peaceful Assembly.
Nationalism: Propaganda, Censorship, and Harassment.

Patriotism: Government by consent of the governed.
Nationalism: Government by force and decree of those who govern.

Patriotism: Hiring and promotion based solely on ability.
Nationalism: Hiring and promotion based on anything other than ability.

Patriotism: "My country, right or wrong."
Nationalism: "My country; love it or leave it."

Patriotism: Learning from our history and the history of others.
Nationalism: Teaching our version of history to others.

Patriotism: "My country can always do better."
Nationalism: "My country is already the best."

Patriotism: Pride in who you are.
Nationalism: Pride in who you are not.

Patriotism: Special concern for the well-being of the citizenry.
Nationalism: Special concern for the well-being of the leadership.

Patriotism: Upholding the right of others to disagree with authority.
Nationalism: Equating disagreement with treachery, disloyalty, and moral decay.

Patriotism: Willingness to sacrifice oneself to promote the country's good.
Nationalism: Willingness to sacrifice others to promote one's own self-interest.

Our country's problems aren't as much about Left vs. Right as they are about Patriotism vs. Nationalism.
I love the ideals and principles that my country was founded upon. I hate what the current tide of Nationalism is doing to it.

“Nationalism of one kind or another was the cause of most of the genocide of the twentieth century. Flags are bits of colored cloth that governments use first to shrink-wrap people’s minds and then as ceremonial shrouds to bury the dead.”
Arundthati Roy