Patriotic Propaganda
We Didn’t Get to Choose Where We Were born?
When you were born were you gifted your first choice of a citizenry? Did you open your eyes to find your parents smiling at you? When they spoke for the first time did you think, “Thank God, they speak English? I’m home at last.”
Of course not, you say. Don’t be daft.
Well, then explain to me why you believe patriotism is a virtue. Because I’ve never understood it. In fact, it makes me uncomfortable in many instances. I hate flag-waving and bands playing patriotic tunes. I hate pledges. I hate being forced to stand or kneel or put my hand on my heart. I’m uncomfortable with phrases like the best country in the world or god bless America.
Patriotism seems like an ideology based on cultural myths, much like religion.
The two, religion and patriotism, have a lot in common. They share a kind of fervor that gives me cold chills. Yes, I know that you’d kill for your god and country. It’s written in the lyrics of your songs and across the back of your pickup trucks. It’s in your history books and your willingness to send your own children to lay down their lives for, well, uh, um, we’re never really sure what we’re fighting for, are we? They tell us that we shed blood for freedom. We rarely question them.
Patriotism, like religion, isn’t required to be a good person or a good citizen, however.
A sense of justice and a desire to leave a better world for the children we insist on giving birth to is all one needs to do their best. Patriotism, however, can lead to blind faith in a government no matter how corrupt it becomes. Citizens are always told they’re living in the best country in the world.
Guess what? Everyone thinks they live in the best country.
They think they speak the best language, eat the best foods, have the best religions, enjoy the best holidays, and play the best games. Everyone loves their own traditions, rituals, art, and music. We’ve all been told from the day we were born that our country is the best and that our way of doing things is superior to what others do. In fact, we’re often told that what others are doing is weird.
Gasp!
Even people who flee their countries of origin often long to return. It’s normal to believe that there’s no place like home. We love the familiar. We’re indoctrinated to accept our cultures without question. Patriotism is designed to produce a feeling of belonging to something bigger than us.
Home is where the heart is, my friend. We’ll do anything to protect it.
Except so often what we’re told to do does nothing to improve our lives. I think it’s fair to say that since I was born, America hasn’t fought a single successful war. They were all undeclared, most lasted for years and years, and there were no clear victors. Yet, as soon as each generation of surviving soldiers came home, what did they do? They returned to work, raised their own kids, and then turned around and sent them to fight another bloody war.
That makes no sense.
You can tell how well patriotic propaganda is working by the sheer number of enthusiastic young people who join the armed forces. It’s been like this for generations. It goes back to ancient history. Humans fight for the king to fill his coffers. Humans march off to war and come back in body bags. Humans returning from battle are touted as heroes. Patriotic songs are played. Festivities are planned to fill the hearts of every man, woman, and child with gratitude.
We’re told this is what it means to love your country. This is how we prove our love.
Forget about trying to find other ways of solving problems. Violence is our go-to method. If only we could let a few years pass without resorting to violence. If only we understood that patriotism has nothing to do with creating a better world. If this is the best we can do, then maybe it’s time for humans to reconsider bringing children into this bloody mess.
I’m serious. We should know better by now.
Obviously, we don’t. Right? Because we keep trying the same old methods and hoping for different outcomes. And the beat goes on …
Come here, little child.
Let us tell you about this country you inherited through the sheer lottery of birth. You’re so lucky to be a citizen of this great country that you owe us your life. Why just think about it. You might have been born anywhere in the world, but fortunately, you’re an American, a Canadian, a Brazilian, a Spaniard, or a Korean. You were gifted the privilege and honor of being born into the greatest country in the world. Stand tall, put your hand on your heart, and pledge your life to your country.
Don’t get me wrong. To work to make the world a better place for our children is the right thing to do.
I say it’s long overdue. We’re technologically advanced but are cavemen with cell phones. Socially, we’re stuck in the myths of our ancient ancestors, dancing around fires and pounding drums, hoping to make an impression. Societies haven’t evolved sufficiently yet. We’re still leaving giant messes for our children to clean up.
Borders don’t naturally exist, my fellow humans.
This is one world and we’re one species. We share this planet with one another whether we like it or not. Divide and conquer is not a very advanced strategy. Hoarding isn’t sustainable. War should be obsolete by now. Them vs us mentality is fruitless. Patriotism doesn’t work.
If we want to be real heroes, we must share this planet.
We need to find new ways to solve problems. Dig down deep and search for solutions that close the gap between our technological and social evolution. We have a lot of work ahead of us if we want to improve life on this planet. We must open source as many creative ideas as possible and stop competing for a crust of bread. We need more cooperation and less competition. We need to take responsibility for bringing children into this world.
Patriotism isn’t the answer. It’s an impediment to progress.
Teresa Roberts is a retired educator, author, world traveler, and professional myth buster. You can find her books on Amazon.
