by Leighton Smith

Created on: July 16, 2009

Cosmopolitanism and patriotism offer a continuum of options for how we define ourselves and relate to others. Taking a cosmopolitan standpoint, one has a shared sense of altruism with every person on the planet. No culture or society is more important than another. A patriotic view, however, states that your sense of responsibility is confined within certain boundaries - to your home country. The film The Falcon and the Snowman presents the contrasting interests and shortcomings of cosmopolitanism and patriotism, suggesting that some combination of the two is preferable to strict adherence to one or the other.

Through the Boyce character, we see a clear example of the conflict between cosmopolitanism and patriotism. Boyce's actions suggest that he takes a cosmopolitan view. He feels that the U.S. is using its power to the detriment of weaker countries to further its own agenda. For a patriot, this might not necessarily be a bad thing. But Boyce, beyond any doubt, is not a patriot. In choosing to sell his government's secrets to its sworn enemy, he is betraying his country. The foremost tenet of the patriotic ideal is to be loyal to one's homeland, to serve its interests before any other country.

Patriotism is not the perfect solution. Initially, Daulton refuses to help Boyce with his plan. He recognizes the betrayal, even going so far as to call himself a "patriot." Many people in situations similar to Boyce's follow this rationale; they see patriotism as a reason to allow the illicit actions of the United States. They may not be proud of what they do, but they see that national security comes at a price. To ensure their own country's safety, they are willing to allow some abuse of power. Their blind dedication to their country is a clear contrast to the cosmopolitan ideal. They see the world as a dangerous place and for the United States to prosper it must be favored above all other countries.

Richard Rorty, a strong champion of patriotism, would agree with this sense of patriotism. Rorty believes that one can feel shame towards his country and still be a patriot. Such an interpretation could explain why Daulton at first chose not to go along with Boyce. Once Daulton is arrested, though, and facing serious drug charges, he changes his mind. With a 'nothing left to lose' mentality, he agrees to join Boyce's cause. It also does not hurt that the two friends stand to make a good bit of money from their actions, although Boyce will later state that

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