Why are Americans so Patriotic?

[Arsen]

Patriotism is never a bad thing. Everyone should feel some sense of pride and recognition in the historical struggles, sacrifices, pains, and hardships the people have undergone, overcome, and learned from.

However, I do feel that my country, on some level, receives a distinct amount of criticism that other countries seem to not receive in this light. We do have a fair amount of issues but then again...what nation doesn't?

Once again: Patriotism is a mentality of reverence and respect. Some abuse it in an ignorant light, but for the most part it's a noble stance.

 

[Alphonse_Lamperouge]

i kind of see America as the schoolyard bully of the world. you know, the one nobody likes but everyone act like they are friends with, to avoid beatings?
and you know on some level that it isn't really the bully's fault that he is a sadistic little shit. he was probably abused by his parents, like his father and grandfather before him.
and so you tolerate him, make pleasantries and get on with your life. until (inevitably) one day something unpleasant happens to him, and you cant help but smile.
but then you realize you have to befriend a new bully, and how am i supposed to do that?
i cant speak Chinese.

 

[CulixCupric]

I guess Americans are patriotic because we feels as though we need to be an 'example' to the world. Pretty egotistical, I know, but then again, that's not always a bad thing.

if egotistical isn't a bad thing, then why is pride considered a sin?

disclaimer: i am agnostic, i merely study theism.

 

[AndyFromMonday]

again....I never brought up who was "better", you did. Also I never said I would try to change their opinion. However discussion about cultural values makes me think of something that Charles James Naiper said when the Hindu practice of Sati was banned,

"You say that it is your custom to burn widows. Very well. We also have a custom: when men burn a woman alive, we tie a rope around their necks and we hang them. Build your funeral pyre; beside it, my carpenters will build a gallows. You may follow your custom. And then we will follow ours".

You missed the point. We can't treat someone else's culture like shit, even if it is full of shit, because that would only make people pertaining to that culture less receptive. That was it. Plus, this is a discussion about patriotism, not multiculturalism. Let's stop.

 

[silenticecream]

Dang...Nationalism (any country, any time period) simply rankles with me. A common purpose is one thing, but this will eventually become anathemetic to every other form of identity out there. I despise essayish posts on forums so i'll shut up now.

 

[SnakeoilSage]

<youtube=4mCDZMWVWuc>

This.

 

[Tipatap]

I'm going to have to agree with the point that most people who do so are in the minority. Most of us living here in the U.S.A are content to just live here, and not shove apple-pie infused with patriotism down the throats of other people.

 

[Joel Dawson]

Just because you are patriotic does not mean you cannot be critical of America. My Conflict in the Modern World teacher is pretty critical of America and its actions, but he loves America and says he is all the more critical of it because of his patriotism.

 

[TheLoneBeet]

What's wrong with having pride in your country? If you love where you live you should defend it, I'm not saying beat the tar out of anyone who dislikes America or anything but when did liking where you live become a bad thing?

I was going to say something like this. I'm from Canada and I've met people from all over the world who get upset when you badmouth their country. If you're not proud of where you live then that's a shame and you probably don't deserve to live there.

Some people will get up in arms if you badmouth a country they USED to live in. Hell, there are even people who have never lived in a country that's just part of their family's heritage and they'll get upset if you badmouth it.

 

[General Twinkletoes]

it always baffled me.. If someone came here to australia, and said it was shit, I'd reply "Well it's alright, but it does suck sometimes" and then i'd go back to boxing kangaroos and drinking beer.
EDIT: After reading somemore posts, it's starting to get a bit annoying. Why are you proud of where you live? It's the same as being proud of your race, or in what social class you were born into. Liking your country is fine, getting annoyed at people badmouthing it is fine, but just going crazy about your country is just stupid.

 

[Brendan Le Page]

I find that people become patriot when they have nothing they find worth believing in. However patriots also believe that because of their love of their country they are part of the grand scheme of their country and the bigger picture.

 

[Belated]

it might be just an unfair stereotype, but it's generally believed that if you badmouth america, any nearby americans will go up in arms and get very angry, and i'm just wondering why. Just to clarify, i have nothing against america, but i hardly think it's anything to write home about. and don't say that anyone would be that way about their home country, because if someone came up to be and said "hey, england's crap!" i'd just say "yeah, it is a bit"

Well, it's probably because you're a foreigner. We're fine with criticizing our own country, because we live here. We all have opinions about what's wrong with the place. But if a foreigner is doing it, it comes off as arrogance; someone who isn't one of us trying to tell us what's best for us. You may personally not feel the same way back if an American were to do that to you, but I still think this is probably the case in a lot of countries.

The truth is, most Americans have a lot of bad things to say about America. We just don't want any suggestions. At least, that's how I theorize the mentality to be.

Take the Constitution for example. Here's one I hear a lot: "America needs to get a new constitution. Why do they still use that old thing?" And that's really offensive. Those who haven't lived under our constitution have no intellectual authority on whether or not it needs changing. So they can just piss off. Maybe our Constitution just works for us. Maybe we're afraid if a new one is drafted, we might lose some of our rights that were guaranteed in the old one. That's just one example, but try my shoes on and perhaps you'll see where I'm coming from.

 

[RedHighwind07]

I hate when American's ask if I can speak English. They act like they came up with that and pretty much everything else that is socially normal.

 

[RedHighwind07]

Seriously, I've been to an America, and it's great to be proud of your country, but FOR THE LOVE OF JESUS do they go on about it. Especially when they act like they are the sole heroic superpower in the world. Last time I checked, it hasn't been 1945 for 66 years now. The whole thing is backwards to me. Ask people what they are most proud of in America- Freedom. For a country that preaches about equal treatment, why can't I walk into New York and be ethnic, openly homosexual or poor?

 

[Daystar Clarion]

Let them have their patriotism.

Their country is still new, they still have time to do a few more war crimes, maybe colonise some places, kill the natives etc.

You're only young once.


*sips tea*

Yes, quite.

Um actually America has colonized and killed many natives. And I'm not just referring to Native AMericans but Cuba, the Philippines, etc. Haven't you ever heard of American Imperialism?

That's hardly proper imperialism though.

*sips tea*

Yes, quite.

 

[The Human Torch]

It's just the vocal minority. Which unfortunately (as always) are far more in the spotlight than most Americans, who plainly don't give a crap.

Sorry, but its NOT the vocal minority. The vocal minority are actually the ones who are NOT patriotic.

You are wrong, most Americans in this thread agree with me. The people who are not patriotic are the ones you never hear, cause they could care less.

Riiiiiight. The small number of people here hardly make up anything that could be considered a majority in the whole of the good ole USA. My argument stands.

You had no argument, you just said "you are wrong and I am right".
I've had an American girlfriend for a good number of years and what I've experienced from being in her home town, workplace and seeing her friends and family, is that all of them were not patriotic.

They loved their country, don't get me wrong, but they weren't raising a flag and saluting every morning.

 

[NoTroll]

Because they are frightened of others.

 

[Prince Of Tea]

Patriotism is encouraged in any country as it's a superb form of control. See - religion.

It's not a coincidence that often the most patriotic members of a country are it's soldiers.

 

[Kathinka]

It's just the vocal minority. Which unfortunately (as always) are far more in the spotlight than most Americans, who plainly don't give a crap.

Sorry, but its NOT the vocal minority. The vocal minority are actually the ones who are NOT patriotic.

You are wrong, most Americans in this thread agree with me. The people who are not patriotic are the ones you never hear, cause they could care less.

Riiiiiight. The small number of people here hardly make up anything that could be considered a majority in the whole of the good ole USA. My argument stands.

You had no argument, you just said "you are wrong and I am right".
I've had an American girlfriend for a good number of years and what I've experienced from being in her home town, workplace and seeing her friends and family, is that all of them were not patriotic.

They loved their country, don't get me wrong, but they weren't raising a flag and saluting every morning.

i can testify to this, having lived in different states of the u.s. over the years for quite a bit. the majority of americans is nausea inducing patriotic. it might not seem so for an american, because you grew up with it, perhaps.

also, what is considered mildly patriotic in america would already be seen as batshit jingoism in other first world countries. people back at home would not believe me until i showed video evidence that american students line up to say the pledge to the flag every morning like the god damned hitler youth. no other country would ever think of doing this.

 

[Psychedelic Spartan]

Well, I'm American, and like most people anywhere, I do like my country, but i do let people have their own opinion about America. Different people see things differently.