Is it wrong not to have a sense of pride for your country?

Oh no it isn't wrong at all. I have a cosmopolitan philosophy which essentially means that I believe all humans are equal and the arbitrary coordinates of our birth, which as you correctly say we have no control over, do not make us any better or worse than anybody else. I don't understand people supporting athletes in the Olympics because of their nationality, I support them because of the years of hard work they've put in. It pissed me off no end when the reporters made comments like "Another medal for Great Britain", if I'd been the athlete I would have just punched them in the face. But I digress, I agree with you that patriotism is outdated and frankly extremely confusing, a country is a made up line in the sand that was dictated by which of our ancestors were the best at murdering, and which has changed constantly as civilisation has grown. Feeling an attachment to that line in the sand just seems absurd to me.

 

In the 53 years I have spent on this earth, the concept of "country" or "my country" has changed radically. Note, it is the concept that has changed, the way we imagine our place in the world has changed. Easier communications, new ideologies, globalization, treaties and international partnerships (such as the EU) have strongly conspired to undermine the old "my country, right or wrong". After Nazi Germany, who can morally hold that position now?

 

Nope its not wrong at all if u feel that way..u dont have to b proud of your country and u do have reasons why ur not proud of it so its alright!

 

I don't have pride of my country. Nationalism and patriotism are some of the most stupid things ever. If I was born 20km to the south I'd be Belgian, but that would not have made me any different as a person.

Or as Enter Shikari once sang, "countries are just lines drawn in the sand with a stick". Why be proud of something so random.

Edit: Now let's go to Stormfront to spread this opinion. I think they'll kill us on the spot.

 

Nah. I'm there. I was born here and while I have an obligation to make the society I've lived in better and become a productive citizen, I'm not obligated to blindly follow and worship a country I happened to be born in. I could've had it worse, I suppose, in terms of where I could've been born but I won't believe for a second that the US is the best thing that's ever happened to the world, as seems the attitude in my country. :dry:

 

Don't get me wrong, I love my country. But I don't see why I have to be proud of it. I am in no way proud of the current situation this country is in. But I'd rather live in America than any other country in the world.

 

Of course there isn't anything wrong with it.

That being said, I'm exceptionally proud of the country I'm from and I'm a tad patriotic in my ways.

 

Of course not, like you said, our birthplace isn't a matter we have a say in. We can't help it, and honestly no country is perfect (because it's run by us humans and I have yet to find a perfect human being). Everything in this world has it's flaws.

 

I feel the same way living in the UK, The Royal family mean nothing to me, I was most upset to find out that is cost over £1,000,000 of the tax payers money to get the nursery ready for the baby. Just think how many babies, or hospitals, or need charities that money could have helped, instead for one baby it could of giving hope to thousands or more children.
And when you see them get in the four wheel drives after showing the baby off, they went off in their vehicles which are 5 litre engines, gas gobbling giants.
Why couldn't it be a more normal sized vehicle ?
I would love them just to be able to live in the shoes of a normal family and see how they cope ? They wouldn't, and would crumble straight away.
I think this is where a lot of people don't care for the country is because of the greed of the Royals.

 

Not really, i have certain pride for the US, but the shit that has happened here in America have made me lose hope for the U.S.; the way slaves were treated, the politics, the greed, the animosity of lgbt in certain areas, the KKK, animosity due to race, and other shit hat has occured in america have just made me lose hope. In the end we had got past the bad shit, and came together as a country.

 

Nope, as long as you don't let it cloud your judgement.

 

I have no sense of patriotism at all. I wish I could remember who said, I'm sick of people waving their flags and shouting 'America is the greatest country in the world,' even though they've never left it. I've lived in India and I've visited many places in Europe. I would move to Italy or Greece, or move back to India, in a heartbeat. Sure, they have their problems. But so do we.

 

George Carlin said it best. It makes no sense at all to be "proud" to be of any certain country. It's just like being proud to be a human instead of a horse.

To be proud *of* your country for its citizens' achievements is acceptable, though. I didn't personally contribute to writing the U.S. Constitution, but I believe in it and think it's an admirable foundation on which to govern. I similarly feel pride for our country's military and other service jobs because they sacrifice so much so that we can live better lives.

In metaphorical terms, don't be proud that you can produce a baby. Be proud of what the baby does when it grows up.

EDIT: About the British royals though: Don't they have billions in personal wealth? I don't think taxpayers should have to fund their baby's nursery when they have huge fortunes of their own money. Just like how our American politicians shouldn't be able to go on vacations with public funds either. -.-

 

I'm not really proud of the US at all, even though I've lived here all my life. I see nearly no reason to for the following reasons:

1. We may have a bill of rights, but amendments are constantly being violated
2. There are politicians who want to put religion before people
3. The US is one of the most invasive countries, if not THE most invasive of all.
4. I see too many people waving the "Red, White n Blu" as though the place they live in has no flaws whatsoever, when there CLEARLY are.
5. NSA
6. Statistically, we have some of the dumbest people on the face of the Earth
7. "Liberty and justice for all" my ass. We still live in a society with lots of racism and bigotry. I won't believe it until everyone has equal rights.

How is the US a country to be proud of? Because we had, at one time, a government that focused on liberty and not religion? News Flash: That's not the US we live in today.

 

^^I think we could have an entire thread about the flaws of the US, and I guess you do have a point that we blow a lot of hot air about being awesome. But that's no reason not to acknowledge the good and work towards fixing the bad so we can live up to the reputation we have tried to create.

 

It's not the Country that is the problem, it is the ruling classes, it always has been, when England stood back & watched Millions of Irish People die in the Potato Famine, it wasn't the Working Class People who were to blame, it was the Royal Family & the Government of the day, the ruling Classes who held People who they saw as being beneath them with contempt

 

It not wrong at all your not the only one that can lose some pride in their country. Also things that are going on right now like how a killer is free after two years (maybe less) but someone who kills someone who killed someone they care about gets life where is the justice in that. There is many more injustices that can cause people to lose pride in their countries. It is not wrong and it not really the country thats in the wrong it how the system and people work in the country.

 

The most shocking thing I ever read about the Irish Potato Famine was that Ireland was exporting food at the time...