by Julie R Butler

Created on: February 11, 2009

How can patriotism do other than separate nations? Patriotism is not necessarily a bad thing, as we all feel a certain pride in our cultures and heritages, and we all want our "team" to be well regarded on the world stage. This is human nature. And although some may argue that the Olympics are a good example of all nations coming together to celebrate their peaceful coexistence and the outstanding human achievements of the athletes, it cannot be said that patriotism is what is uniting the world, as we all cheer on the athletes from our own countries and look to be the one that wins the most medals. Although it is a show of civility among nations, it is really more about international competition and showing off national pride than about world unity.

Can an analogy be made between nations and individuals, so that we look at the United Nations as a community of diverse personalities, each unique, yet joined by their common status as nations? In this view, patriotism would be seen as nothing more than pride and belief in oneself, something that is vital to the success of individual human beings. This projection depends on the idea that strong individuals build strong communities. But I believe that this analogy does not actually apply, because nations are so vastly more complicated than individuals, and because the "community of nations" is more of an ideal than a reality. In civilized communities, individuals do not declare war on other individuals, or compete to the death for resources. Civilized communities operate within a system of enforceable laws and regulations, while the world community can only make toothless agreements, which the most powerful countries, such as the United States, liberally flaunt.

So rather than asking if patriotism unites or separates nations, we should be asking how we can utilize patriotism to make the world a better place. Events like the Olympics, where patriotism acts to motivate nations to put aside their differences and come together for peaceful purposes is a start. Trying to make the idea of a world community of nations that are proud yet respectful of others more of a reality would go even farther. As is hitting home with the current world financial crisis, we are all intricately interconnected. If China decides to make their goods more expensive through monetary policy, or to call in the massive debt that they are invested in in U.S. dollars, be sure that we will feel the pain directly in our pocketbooks.

Another situation that illuminates my point is global warming. It is high time that the United States take its position as the world leader in natural resource consumption and carbon dioxide emissions seriously, and work with other nations to stop such destructive practices, for the good of each and every one of us. The earth's atmosphere doesn't discriminate which country the emissions are coming from, so the lame excuse that we won't try to stop it because China and India are not trying to stop it shows us to be the selfish and ultimately self-destructive people that we really are. True patriotism in the context of a world community, rather than with a mindset that we are the leaders of the free world and therefore get to do whatever we want, would be the kind of patriotism that would lead to our pride working to set us apart through strong leadership on global issues, rather than through bullying and bluster.

Learn more about this author, Julie R Butler.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.