I feel it is all about sense of belongingness. A matter of one's identity. And it starts from our family itself. If we can love our family and feel proud of it then only can we understand and respect other families. In a match, contest or other comparison between two families we have to identify with our family and support it by all means. Same stands for our city. In yesterday's match between DD and CSK I had to feel one with my team DD, even in a crushing defeat in the hands of CSK. I might appreciate a player or two from CSK but can't support a team against DD.
So on and so forth until we reach the NATION. Here again being an Indian I can not dream of not feeling one with India. I might appreciate a thing or two about other nations but it has to be India on top for me. When I am true to myself, to my family, to my Country then only can I respect the feelings of others who are true to themselves, true to their family and true to their nation. It does not matter whether one is from New Delhi, Nowshera, New Castle or New York. One has to be committed to his respective country India, Pakistan, England or America in this case. I see no conflict upto this point. As an Indian I can not love Pakistan, England or America over my country and at the same time do not expect someone from these countries loving India over their own countries. All are true nationalists in the real form.
The problem starts if I love my family but instead of respecting my neighbour's family I HATE that family. That is bad. It would be bad if I start hating CSK and try to ensure their defeat in the match verses DD through sabotage, match-fixing or any other foul means. Similarly it would be bad if from the love for my country I conclude that now i have to hate all other nations and all those belonging to or supporting those 'other' nations. If for a moment I have this feeling it is bad. Then I am not being a principled, rationalist person. How can I assume that my nationalism is superior to my counterpart's from Pakistan, England or America. I must respect him and respect his nationalism as long as he is not working against my nation. Any supporter of Pakistan, England or America or any other country, or CSK for that matter, is welcome as long as he does not hate India or DD in this case. We can still be great friends, great admirers of each other even if we are from two different countries, or two different states or two different families. We just have to respect each other, respect each other's feelings, respect each other's loyalties and not hate each other's family, state or nation. There is a difference between 'not supporting' and 'hating'. I can not support Pakistan, England or America in a match against India but at the same time I should not hate these countries for any reason.
And this is our real nationalism. To respect Pakistan while being committed and loyal to India and conversely to respect India while remaining committed and loyal to Pakistan. If from nationalism one understands that it means annihilation of all other nationalities then he has not understood the concept of nationalism and such person is a real threat to humanity. For once he has 'annihilated' all other nations, he will turn to his province verses others and annihilate all other provinces. And then to his city, and finally to his family and will annihilate all other families. This is a defeatist mentality. It will destroy humanity. A true nationalist will understand and respect other's nationality and will love, not hate, others.
Unfortunately a few have not understood the concept of nationality in the real context and have adopted the destructive path of opposing and hating other nations. That has brought misery to real peace loving dwellers of subcontinent without their fault. All such misguided persons need to be resisted and guided to shun this hatred for other nations and nationalities. Therein lies the key to survival and prosperity of us all. Not only in this subcontinent, but in the world itself.
26 May 2012
As far as nationalism goes I strongly believe, from my personal experience as well, that two true nationalists, even from two different countries, will always like and respect each other. Only pseudo-nationalists fight with each other or harm others. In my short career I have had opportunity to interact with nationals of around a dozen different countries and I have found that more they loved their own countries more they were eager to know about other countries and more they seemed to be appreciative of other's culture.
Only a few die-hard types were unjustifiably critical of other nations and did not gel with others. But then these die-hards were always in a minority and they were also found using foul language about other institutions of their own country. These are what we call pseudo-nationalists. They just do not have clear concepts about nationalism.
True nationalist always seem to be saying that my mother is the best and your mother also is the best. As I can not abuse my mother I can not abuse your mother too. He respects other's sentiments also as he has himself experienced those feelings. Anyone saying bad words about other's mother/country has not really loved his own mother/country.
27 May 2012
So on and so forth until we reach the NATION. Here again being an Indian I can not dream of not feeling one with India. I might appreciate a thing or two about other nations but it has to be India on top for me. When I am true to myself, to my family, to my Country then only can I respect the feelings of others who are true to themselves, true to their family and true to their nation. It does not matter whether one is from New Delhi, Nowshera, New Castle or New York. One has to be committed to his respective country India, Pakistan, England or America in this case. I see no conflict upto this point. As an Indian I can not love Pakistan, England or America over my country and at the same time do not expect someone from these countries loving India over their own countries. All are true nationalists in the real form.
The problem starts if I love my family but instead of respecting my neighbour's family I HATE that family. That is bad. It would be bad if I start hating CSK and try to ensure their defeat in the match verses DD through sabotage, match-fixing or any other foul means. Similarly it would be bad if from the love for my country I conclude that now i have to hate all other nations and all those belonging to or supporting those 'other' nations. If for a moment I have this feeling it is bad. Then I am not being a principled, rationalist person. How can I assume that my nationalism is superior to my counterpart's from Pakistan, England or America. I must respect him and respect his nationalism as long as he is not working against my nation. Any supporter of Pakistan, England or America or any other country, or CSK for that matter, is welcome as long as he does not hate India or DD in this case. We can still be great friends, great admirers of each other even if we are from two different countries, or two different states or two different families. We just have to respect each other, respect each other's feelings, respect each other's loyalties and not hate each other's family, state or nation. There is a difference between 'not supporting' and 'hating'. I can not support Pakistan, England or America in a match against India but at the same time I should not hate these countries for any reason.
And this is our real nationalism. To respect Pakistan while being committed and loyal to India and conversely to respect India while remaining committed and loyal to Pakistan. If from nationalism one understands that it means annihilation of all other nationalities then he has not understood the concept of nationalism and such person is a real threat to humanity. For once he has 'annihilated' all other nations, he will turn to his province verses others and annihilate all other provinces. And then to his city, and finally to his family and will annihilate all other families. This is a defeatist mentality. It will destroy humanity. A true nationalist will understand and respect other's nationality and will love, not hate, others.
Unfortunately a few have not understood the concept of nationality in the real context and have adopted the destructive path of opposing and hating other nations. That has brought misery to real peace loving dwellers of subcontinent without their fault. All such misguided persons need to be resisted and guided to shun this hatred for other nations and nationalities. Therein lies the key to survival and prosperity of us all. Not only in this subcontinent, but in the world itself.
26 May 2012
As far as nationalism goes I strongly believe, from my personal experience as well, that two true nationalists, even from two different countries, will always like and respect each other. Only pseudo-nationalists fight with each other or harm others. In my short career I have had opportunity to interact with nationals of around a dozen different countries and I have found that more they loved their own countries more they were eager to know about other countries and more they seemed to be appreciative of other's culture.
Only a few die-hard types were unjustifiably critical of other nations and did not gel with others. But then these die-hards were always in a minority and they were also found using foul language about other institutions of their own country. These are what we call pseudo-nationalists. They just do not have clear concepts about nationalism.
True nationalist always seem to be saying that my mother is the best and your mother also is the best. As I can not abuse my mother I can not abuse your mother too. He respects other's sentiments also as he has himself experienced those feelings. Anyone saying bad words about other's mother/country has not really loved his own mother/country.
27 May 2012
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