by rebel8 151 Replies latest jw friends
I said NOTHING about "my" country, as you like to call it...
I just quoted that I'm glad I'm not FROM many other countries....
What's wrong with that?
There is nothing childish about that...it's the truth and how I (and many others I'm sure) feel. Do I detect a serious bias and chip on the shoulder here?
Or maybe it's just me?
u/d (of the not that shallow class)
Let me put it in another context... less "nationalistic".
My wife is from Iowa... I'm from California... we now live in Colorado.
Most Iowans I know say that Iowa is a great place to be FROM... but no one wants to go there.
California is a place people are sometimes proud, sometimes ashamed to be from....everyone wants to go there.
Colorado... is my personal (new) paradise. I bloom where I'm planted. I enjoyed living in all three States.
It's just the way it is... it has nothing to do with being "better"... personal preference is what makes the difference.
u/d (of the blooming class)
Yeh I think th UK is a great place to live, I just don't go around boasting about it.....usually. Ultimutly there is no "best" country different countries will suit different types of people.
Of course. I agree. I don't go around boasting about my country either. I do love my home though.
I can think of a ton of things I like about Britian that I don't think I'll find else where, but over countries offer things the UK can't.Like Sun for example.
The area of the US I live in has weather quite similar to yours. It sucks most of the time (no offense...I am describing my own home)
When someone boasts about their country though it comes across like this "Glad I don't live in YOUR country",
I doubt anyone really feels this way, it's the way it comes across TO YOU. I would never say anything like that.
when people call a country "the land of the free" it sounds like "the only country thats free"
This attitude always surprises me. If I say "my daughter is so beautiful" am I implying your daughter is not, or that my daughter is the only beautiful girl in the world? Nope. I just think my daughter is very beautiful. She whines unbelievably and is greedy and selfish. She is really a beautiful girl though. I wonder if your sensitivity to "the land of the free" is because that freedom is from your very own country. To me the difference between the people who fought for that freedom and those who enjoy it today is about the same as the difference between the old followers of Russell and Jehovah's Witnesses today. Both come from the same roots, but the people/thoughts/teachings/beliefs are so profoundly different, they are in fact, not anything alike.
"Glad I don't live in YOUR country" I certainly do feel this way... as do most people from any given country." Is what you said, and I feel there is something wrong with THAT sentiment.
"This attitude always surprises me. If I say "my daughter is so beautiful" am I implying your daughter is not, or that my daughter is the only beautiful girl in the world?" Actually you would be if you said it in front of someone elses daugther and didn't ALSO acknowledge the beauty of the other girl. "I wonder if your sensitivity to "the land of the free" is because that freedom is from your very own country"not at all. All former British colonies are free from British rule, that is not what is implied by the statement anymore.
"Glad I don't live in YOUR country" I certainly do feel this way... as do most people from any given country." Is what you said, and I feel there is something wrong with THAT sentiment.
That was in my comment...which contained a quote from another comment. I just came back from Mexico (Caribbean/Tulum)...very beautiful.... AM SO GLAD I'M NOT FROM THERE... and the natives I saw would probably sell a kidney to get out... does that make sense? I am not PC... and mean no offense when I say I'm glad I'm not from ANY said part of the planet I personally don't like. But you take it in a whole new direction...looking for bad motive and taking offense. Hey if I am glad I don't live in Iraq or North Korea or Compton...and the people there love it....GOOD FOR THEM... that's great. So are you saying that the converse is true? I should be glad to live in other country's? That's absurd. Once again...I'm HAPPY where I'm at....are you...? If not...it doesn't make anyone "better" or "worse" than anyone....just MOVE, or immigrate. Assuming your nation is one that allows this. u/d (of the stupid but not that stupid class)
I've been smiling away, as I've watched this thread develop. So many folks seem to want to be PC, and pussyfoot around the fact that it's actually ok to be patriotic, nationalistic, and/or have pride in your country.
I'm immensely proud of my Scottish heritage, though I can't help echo the words from Trainspotting, that we're rules by a bunch of effete w*nk*rs We're good, but we aint all that. Scotland isn't free, for all the Mel Gibson rhetoric, and I can't help but feel a little envious of countries which are.
If you're proud of your country, own it! Why be ashamed of something like that?
Of course there's a thin line between a little pride and going over the top with gloating, but a few fireworks never hurt anyone
""Glad I don't live in YOUR country" with " I certainly do feel this way" Came across as an absolute statment, about all other countries.Of course theres places I'd rather not live, but I have to acknowledge that if I was born elsewhere I would have developed a different world view, and may prefer a different country of residence.
Nothing to do with being politically correct just common sense.As it happens as a country I prefer England to Wales, but would always support a Welsh sports team against England.Any belief system that is held purely on the basis of place of birth, whether religion or nationalism is wreakless, and can in fact cause problems as both religion and nationalism have in the past.People kill each other because of where they were born.Its pathetic.National pride, and nationalism are different things in my view, when you start boasting to others about your country without acknowleging other countries thats nationalism, mentioning the merits of you country while acknowledging the merits of others is national pride.Its nationalism that can become dangerous in times of crisis.
Why do these things always degenerate into, "America and Americans are *insert insult or snide remark here*"
It's really sad when people can't just have the graciousness to say, "I'm glad you are happy to be an American as I am happy to be an *insert country of origin here*"
I love this board, but there are many times when I feel very unwelcome here simply because of the fact that I am an American and love my country.
J
