Ok, here's is why I'm asking you about this:
Recently, an Iranian friend of mine was bragging about the glorious past of his people's civilization: first people in history who made an empire, first bill of human rights (see: Darius' Cylinder), their advances in science, contributions to art and poetry, and all the usual list of great people (Darius, Zoroaster; I forgot the rest).
I told him that I find that stupid. Every civilization has a history that can rival that. Every ancient civilization has had its contributions to the sciences, art, literature, and its list of great people. Whenever people, including my fellow Americans, show their hard-on for their country, they conveniently a) forget the achievements of other countries, and b) have no recollection of the shit their countries/civilizations pulled. Going back to the Persian Empire, Zoroastrianism put in place a caste system so oppressive and vicious that traveled to India, where it still reigns supreme.
Americans, for example, are always going on about their constitution but not mentioning that most of the laws were, in form or the other, practiced in GB, and the fact that our Constitution is a near exact blueprint of Montesquieu's Spirit of Laws.
I'm an anationalist. I don't believe in the inherent superiority of any one country over the other. Everyone has their moment in history. Iranians had theirs, but so did the Babylonians, the Phoenicians, the Egyptians, the Greeks, the Romans, The Germans, the French, the English, the Russians, and now, us Americans--and even as we speak, our glory fades away into the annals of history books.
Too long, did not read?
Question: What is your opinion of nationalism, and how do you deal with people who shove it in your face?
Recently, an Iranian friend of mine was bragging about the glorious past of his people's civilization: first people in history who made an empire, first bill of human rights (see: Darius' Cylinder), their advances in science, contributions to art and poetry, and all the usual list of great people (Darius, Zoroaster; I forgot the rest).
I told him that I find that stupid. Every civilization has a history that can rival that. Every ancient civilization has had its contributions to the sciences, art, literature, and its list of great people. Whenever people, including my fellow Americans, show their hard-on for their country, they conveniently a) forget the achievements of other countries, and b) have no recollection of the shit their countries/civilizations pulled. Going back to the Persian Empire, Zoroastrianism put in place a caste system so oppressive and vicious that traveled to India, where it still reigns supreme.
Americans, for example, are always going on about their constitution but not mentioning that most of the laws were, in form or the other, practiced in GB, and the fact that our Constitution is a near exact blueprint of Montesquieu's Spirit of Laws.
I'm an anationalist. I don't believe in the inherent superiority of any one country over the other. Everyone has their moment in history. Iranians had theirs, but so did the Babylonians, the Phoenicians, the Egyptians, the Greeks, the Romans, The Germans, the French, the English, the Russians, and now, us Americans--and even as we speak, our glory fades away into the annals of history books.
Too long, did not read?
Question: What is your opinion of nationalism, and how do you deal with people who shove it in your face?
