RE: On the logic of nationalism
January 28, 2014 at 9:30 pm
(This post was last modified: January 28, 2014 at 9:34 pm by Ryantology.)
(January 28, 2014 at 9:20 pm)kılıç_mehmet Wrote: What is this about tribes and all? We're not talking about the stone age, we're talking about modern day nations.
Nations are just large tribes. Or, realistically, large conglomerations of tribes absorbed into larger and more successful ones.
Quote:Nationalism is still going strong. I can say this because internationalism is failing. Internationalism only corrupts people, as it has corrupted you.
What wonderfully circular logic.
Quote:Besides, where is this melange and the mingling of cultures you're talking of? I only see the cultural dominance of a vague "culture" of consumerism spreading Hollywood movies and ugly pop music.
That's certainly a large example of it.
Quote:My people had their ideas and their identity put to test against the outside world for centuries. We could cut it, and we have driven everyone before us back and carved ourselves a large niche throughout Eurasia.
Which entity has taken on more characteristics of the other, Turkey or Europe?
Quote:We are not as mindless and without a sense of pride or purpose as to let us be absorbed by others, as we have a proud past, a past that we can look up to, which is why we do not despair.
I'd say 'isn't that special', but you've just described almost every extant nation in the world. Turkey is just the neutered shell of the Ottoman Empire anyway. It has nothing resembling the relevance and prestige of the old Empire. Being proud of the past is symptomatic of not having much relevance in the present (to say nothing of the future).
Quote: Nationalism is the way for us to realize our goals regarding the future of our people. What? Should we perhaps let others decide our fate, by your reasoning? Should we adopt a foreign ideology when we can adopt a native ideology that is more in sync with out national character? Should we cut ourselves off from our roots? Should we abandon our language and our customs?
You have been and you will continue to. Your cultural pride is based on the deeds and accomplishments of men who are all long dead and your nation is third-rate.
Quote:No. Which is why nationalism still works for us.
And the fact that we cannot depend on anyone else, makes nationalism even more important.
It will work for you, for now. Enjoy it. Nationalism is only an effective tool for nations that actually have weight to throw around, and even for them, it won't last forever. And I'm speaking as a citizen of the United States, which is certainly the most successful national entity in modern times. Our nationalists are just as much in denial as yours.
