Mickey Z
Cool Observer
Thursday, April 28, 2005
May Day at Yankee Stadium
Nations, themselves, are abstractions, I think - always and forever. And, as someone, somewhere said: “The very existence of nation states, themselves, IS war.” And surely it is.
Probably, we need these abstractions. We’re relatively little beings, relatively fragile, relatively short lived. We’re always, somehow, alone, struggling, aware of death hovering out there in an uncertain future. There’s an old story in Existential philosophy where a fellow steps out into the night and declares to the starry universe: “Sir, I exist!” And the universe replys: “What possible difference could that make to me?”
So, perhaps we “expand” our little “me” to include the whole neighborhood or the town or the region or state or nation. Me, my…
Now I’m not just some insignificant, hapless, finite being - Now, I’m… An American! Don’t #### with me! Like adolescents who join a street gang, folks join the nation - gang, and celebrate the warriors who go off to show the rest of the world what’s what, and who’s who: Now we can shake our fist at the universe: “I guess I make a difference, now, eh? Now, I AM somebody… Why, just watch… [ I’ll ] take over the whole fucking world.” And, isn’t that what the US is trying to do? Isn’t this what Patriotism is, in essence?Critizing the country, then - in this light, at least -is more than just criticism… It’s a sort of death threat to “ME,” - a death threat to the abstraction which, frighteningly, I almost believe I’ve become…
(Hey, by the way - nice hat!) -joe
Posted by joe carpenter on from grants pass, oregon 04/28 at 12:49 PMPerhaps that’s one reason why de Tocqueville’s comments as an outisde observer on American patriotism sound the note they do:It is impossible to conceive a more troublesome or more garrulous patriotism; it wearies even those who are disposed to respect it…
Posted by sk on from 05/01 at 12:13 PM
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