patRIOTism

Patriotism Shmay-triotism... 

Being Lebanese and living in a volatile and irrational part of the world ... Patriotism fascinates me ... I have yet to understand what makes a patriot a good patriot? 

Granted it depends on which side of the fence you are standing ... in this global village we are living today shouldn't patriotism be undying devotion to this pale blue dot we call Earth? 

In my quest to understand patriotism I came across a few quotes which I have included for you cogitate (that's a word I do not hear often) over... 

“Patriotism is the virtue of the vicious.” – Oscar Wilde

 

“Patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel.” – Samuel Johnson

 

“Patriotism is a pernicious, psychopathic form of idiocy.” – George Bernard Shaw - Love that one...

 

“Patriots always talk of dying for their country, and never of killing for their country.” – Bertrand Russell - and this one ... 

 

”Heroism on command, senseless violence, and all the loathsome nonsense that goes by the name of patriotism – how passionately I hate them!” – Albert Einstein

 

“Patriotism is the religion of hell” – James Branch Cabell - ADORE this one

 

“Patriotism varies, from a noble devotion to moral lunacy” – W.R. Inge - interesting.

 

“One of the great attraction of patriotism it fulfills our worst wishes. In the person of our nation we are able, vicariously, to bully and cheat. Bully and cheat, what’s more, with a feeling that we are profoundly virtuous.” – Aldous Huxley

“Ask not what you can do for your country, for they are liable to tell you.” – Mark Steinbeck

“Some people’s idea of patriotism is hating other countries” – Andy Rooney

I guess patriotism is the most overrated quality in humans and common sense the most underrated. 

... and that worries me.