On Patriotism:Patriotism is everywhere thought to be a virtue rather than a mental disorder. I don’t get it.We are animals of the pack. We don’t admire patriotism. We admire loyalty to ourselves.Part of patriotism is nationalism, the political expression of having given up to the pack all independence of thought. Patriotism is of course incompatible with morality. This is more explicit in the soldier, a patriot who agrees to kill anyone he is told to kill by the various alpha-dogs – President, Fuehrer, emperor, Duce, generals.The same instinct governs thought about atrocities committed in wartime. In every war, every army (correctly) accuses the other side of committing atrocities. Atrocities are what armies do. Such is the elevating power of morality that soldiers feel constrained to lie about them. But patriots just don’t care. Psychologists speak of demonization and affecting numbing and such, but it’s really just that the tortured, raped, butchered and burned are members of the other pack.
On Patriotism:Patriotism is everywhere thought to be a virtue rather than a mental disorder. I don’t get it.We are animals of the pack. We don’t admire patriotism. We admire loyalty to ourselves.Part of patriotism is nationalism, the political expression of having given up to the pack all independence of thought. Patriotism is of course incompatible with morality. This is more explicit in the soldier, a patriot who agrees to kill anyone he is told to kill by the various alpha-dogs – President, Fuehrer, emperor, Duce, generals.The same instinct governs thought about atrocities committed in wartime. In every war, every army (correctly) accuses the other side of committing atrocities. Atrocities are what armies do. Such is the elevating power of morality that soldiers feel constrained to lie about them. But patriots just don’t care. Psychologists speak of demonization and affecting numbing and such, but it’s really just that the tortured, raped, butchered and burned are members of the other pack.
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On Patriotism:Patriotism is everywhere thought to be a virtue rather than a mental disorder. I don’t get it.We are animals of the pack. We don’t admire patriotism. We admire loyalty to ourselves.Part of patriotism is nationalism, the political expression of having given up to the pack all independence of thought. Patriotism is of course incompatible with morality. This is more explicit in the soldier, a patriot who agrees to kill anyone he is told to kill by the various alpha-dogs – President, Fuehrer, emperor, Duce, generals.The same instinct governs thought about atrocities committed in wartime. In every war, every army (correctly) accuses the other side of committing atrocities. Atrocities are what armies do. Such is the elevating power of morality that soldiers feel constrained to lie about them. But patriots just don’t care. Psychologists speak of demonization and affecting numbing and such, but it’s really just that the tortured, raped, butchered and burned are members of the other pack.
On Patriotism:Patriotism is everywhere thought to be a virtue rather than a mental disorder. I don’t get it.We are animals of the pack. We don’t admire patriotism. We admire loyalty to ourselves.Part of patriotism is nationalism, the political expression of having given up to the pack all independence of thought. Patriotism is of course incompatible with morality. This is more explicit in the soldier, a patriot who agrees to kill anyone he is told to kill by the various alpha-dogs – President, Fuehrer, emperor, Duce, generals.The same instinct governs thought about atrocities committed in wartime. In every war, every army (correctly) accuses the other side of committing atrocities. Atrocities are what armies do. Such is the elevating power of morality that soldiers feel constrained to lie about them. But patriots just don’t care. Psychologists speak of demonization and affecting numbing and such, but it’s really just that the tortured, raped, butchered and burned are members of the other pack.