Why Do People Embrace Nationalism
To what extent should people embrace nationalism and how acceptable should it be
until it becomes destructive? These two questions may have come in many minds of
philosophers including the great Albert Einstein who once quoted, “Nationalism is an infantile
disease, it is the measles of mankind.” He strongly believed that nationalism should not be
embraced for it is infamous for the destruction it has caused on the society and is responsible
for the childish idiosyncrasy embedded in the human race. Nationalism is a feeling or belief
people acquire that gives them a sense of belonging, pride, or patriotism for their country. It
may come about when a group of people share the same cultural, ethnic, religious, historical, or
geographic identity …show more content…
and these strong pre-existing bonds cause people to demonstrate such an
equally as strong sense of pride in their own nation. Nationalism is also, in many people’s
opinion, essential towards the growth of a country but it is often practiced to the extent where
people believe their country is better and more important than others. The author of the
source quoted that, “nationalism has proven time and again to lead to bloodshed” and by this,
the person is implying that nationalism still lives on through the inner quality of humans in
which it greatly effects their society as the idea of nationalism brings about a belief of
superiority, which has continually led to discords and suffering among people. His intent is to
alter the way people think about historical events where many lives were lost because he feels
as if it is man’s fault for bringing such deep distress to the world and he wants people to
acknowledge how nationalism tends to lead to war. “Though born through good intentions”
implies that although nationalism may seem acceptable because it is practiced to seek out a
beneficial purpose, it can also tear a nation apart.
Nationalism has never stopped giving people
a reason to fight and it is promoted to the point where it has gradually deteriorated unified
societies in the world by inflicting pain and suffering between nations through the actions of
human beings. The perspective of nationalism in the source should be fully embraced for the
following reasons:
Nationalism has proven over and over again to tear countries apart: When it comes to
proving to someone else that they are more important and loyal to their country than the other
person, there will be back and forth oppositions and rivalry is bound to occur between them.
Looking at Europe, for example, and how the countries in this continent were never united
exhibits the dissension that used to exist in our world. Alliances were created between France,
Britain and Russia, and Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy and the clash of flesh was
inevitable as each alliance swore to demonstrate a strong sense of pride in their nation so they
never learned how to get along and co-exist peacefully. This led to many battles and
bloodshed
between these nations, including the Battle of the Somme which occurred during the World
War One against the British and French armies. Another example of this would be the Bill 101
passed in 1977 that shocked Anglophone Quebecois. The French language in Quebec has
created a national unity in that nation and this nationalism often trampled on the Quebec
Anglophone, a nation belonging to an English-speaking population. The bill exclusively
promoted Quebec Francophone by banning outdoor English signs and this outraged many
people, riots and upheaval broke out, and the clash of Anglophone and Francophone opinions
separated those who wanted Quebec to be a sovereign nation, and those who just wanted to
keep Quebec as a Canadian province. This has gradually broken apart the two nations till this
day because the wounds of the Anglophones still linger.
Tenacious nationalism encourages conflict and leads to war and destruction: One
major consequence that the world faces today is the tragedy of the lives lost during manifold
battles that have occurred since the beginning of time and an example of this would be World
War One, a ruthless battle from 1914 to 1918 that was caused by nationalism and greed.
According to ww1facts.net, a total number of military and civilian casualties in World War One
were over 35 million: 16.5 million deaths and 20 million people wounded and this statistic
exhibits the discord and suffering which has resulted from human wickedness. World War One
was supposedly the “War to End All Wars”, which is highly ironic considering how conflict rose
yet again after that war, bringing World War Two into the picture. Many lives were lost, yet the
bloodshed did not give people a hint of the destruction they were causing considering the fact
that the Second World War still broke out.
Nationalism plays a major role in our society by disintegrating nations and produces
negative effects when it comes to proving a point through belligerent means and it is important
to acknowledge this because so many lives have been lost solely by people who should be held
responsible for the neglect of human integrity and the support of corruption which comes with
megalomania. When one fully understands the cruel reality that is in the world and faces the
facts, they can then answer the question, “if nationalism wasn’t so rife, could some wars be
prevented?”
until it becomes destructive? These two questions may have come in many minds of
philosophers including the great Albert Einstein who once quoted, “Nationalism is an infantile
disease, it is the measles of mankind.” He strongly believed that nationalism should not be
embraced for it is infamous for the destruction it has caused on the society and is responsible
for the childish idiosyncrasy embedded in the human race. Nationalism is a feeling or belief
people acquire that gives them a sense of belonging, pride, or patriotism for their country. It
may come about when a group of people share the same cultural, ethnic, religious, historical, or
geographic identity …show more content…
and these strong pre-existing bonds cause people to demonstrate such an
equally as strong sense of pride in their own nation. Nationalism is also, in many people’s
opinion, essential towards the growth of a country but it is often practiced to the extent where
people believe their country is better and more important than others. The author of the
source quoted that, “nationalism has proven time and again to lead to bloodshed” and by this,
the person is implying that nationalism still lives on through the inner quality of humans in
which it greatly effects their society as the idea of nationalism brings about a belief of
superiority, which has continually led to discords and suffering among people. His intent is to
alter the way people think about historical events where many lives were lost because he feels
as if it is man’s fault for bringing such deep distress to the world and he wants people to
acknowledge how nationalism tends to lead to war. “Though born through good intentions”
implies that although nationalism may seem acceptable because it is practiced to seek out a
beneficial purpose, it can also tear a nation apart.
Nationalism has never stopped giving people
a reason to fight and it is promoted to the point where it has gradually deteriorated unified
societies in the world by inflicting pain and suffering between nations through the actions of
human beings. The perspective of nationalism in the source should be fully embraced for the
following reasons:
Nationalism has proven over and over again to tear countries apart: When it comes to
proving to someone else that they are more important and loyal to their country than the other
person, there will be back and forth oppositions and rivalry is bound to occur between them.
Looking at Europe, for example, and how the countries in this continent were never united
exhibits the dissension that used to exist in our world. Alliances were created between France,
Britain and Russia, and Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy and the clash of flesh was
inevitable as each alliance swore to demonstrate a strong sense of pride in their nation so they
never learned how to get along and co-exist peacefully. This led to many battles and
bloodshed
between these nations, including the Battle of the Somme which occurred during the World
War One against the British and French armies. Another example of this would be the Bill 101
passed in 1977 that shocked Anglophone Quebecois. The French language in Quebec has
created a national unity in that nation and this nationalism often trampled on the Quebec
Anglophone, a nation belonging to an English-speaking population. The bill exclusively
promoted Quebec Francophone by banning outdoor English signs and this outraged many
people, riots and upheaval broke out, and the clash of Anglophone and Francophone opinions
separated those who wanted Quebec to be a sovereign nation, and those who just wanted to
keep Quebec as a Canadian province. This has gradually broken apart the two nations till this
day because the wounds of the Anglophones still linger.
Tenacious nationalism encourages conflict and leads to war and destruction: One
major consequence that the world faces today is the tragedy of the lives lost during manifold
battles that have occurred since the beginning of time and an example of this would be World
War One, a ruthless battle from 1914 to 1918 that was caused by nationalism and greed.
According to ww1facts.net, a total number of military and civilian casualties in World War One
were over 35 million: 16.5 million deaths and 20 million people wounded and this statistic
exhibits the discord and suffering which has resulted from human wickedness. World War One
was supposedly the “War to End All Wars”, which is highly ironic considering how conflict rose
yet again after that war, bringing World War Two into the picture. Many lives were lost, yet the
bloodshed did not give people a hint of the destruction they were causing considering the fact
that the Second World War still broke out.
Nationalism plays a major role in our society by disintegrating nations and produces
negative effects when it comes to proving a point through belligerent means and it is important
to acknowledge this because so many lives have been lost solely by people who should be held
responsible for the neglect of human integrity and the support of corruption which comes with
megalomania. When one fully understands the cruel reality that is in the world and faces the
facts, they can then answer the question, “if nationalism wasn’t so rife, could some wars be
prevented?”