Is Patriotism Obsolete?

Patriotism certainly doesn't define or establish a person's worth butI never understood it to be a yardstick of merit. Are commonly held values and goals 'arbitrary?' If they seek the advancement of other individuals and their welfare, in what way is that in line with racism or sexism or any other 'ism' for that matter?

Salima I find your observations comforting. I sincerely hope you're right.

It picks and chooses which individuals to seek the advancement of.

You are prejudging the individuals motives.The common good has to undermine others desires but not their freedom.If there is a need for new new school a farmer may loose his land.Is that not acceptable?

Whether that is acceptable is beside the point. The point is whether such a thing is acceptable or not does not depend on nationality, ethnicity, geographic location, or any of the traits patriotism usually distinguishes.

If we have a certain moral obligation to our countrymen, it stands to reason that we have that same moral obligation to all of mankind.

I totaly agree but when does one act?I know a child at this moment is dying needlessly in Africa but do i make more effort for that child or do i feed my family.I cant be held responsible for every mortal on this planet,i have to have reasonable targets.

Fair point.

We do have to pick and choose, and perhaps nationality could be considered a viable boundary or landmark.

That does actually strike me as an interesting line of thought: since we cannot hope to help all people, what are reasonable methods for discerning who we should help.

It occurs naturally through kinship selection altruism, so it stands to reason that we have predispositions towards segregating who we help and who we don't, but are there any rational arguments for this?

Isn't it possible to be both patriotic to one's country as well as a responsible, compassionate and loyal "world community" member as well?

Yes, but patriotism requires the distinction between countrymen and foreigners.

Does it, however, preclude the possibility of equal good will to both groups? If not, doesn't that just make it obsolete? Isn't Patriotism without nationalism just humanitarianism?

Zetetic11235;81133 wrote:

Could it be conceived of as a subsection (or specific mode of focus) of humanitarianism: working for the good of one's country while weighing things on a global scale. If taken to be auxiliary to humanitarianism, it seems fine to me.

Yes, but patriotism requires the distinction between countrymen and foreigners.

Yes, but only to the extent that one term is concerned with one - the other with another. This doesn't mean we must vilify one to exalt the other, does it? I don't think so.

Thanks

Certainly, but if your patriotic fervor is matched for your fervor to help all men, it is difficult to call one a patriot, is it not?

Isn't it possible to be both patriotic to one's country as well as a responsible, compassionate and loyal "world community" member as well?

Yes, but patriotism requires the distinction between countrymen and foreigners.

Sure, but there happens to be a distinction. A countryman lives within one's own country, foreigners do not. It is one thing to make note of this simply distinction, and quite another to discriminate based on that distinction.