When it comes to patriotism, I always think of a couple of paragraphs in Chesterton's Orthodoxy, of which this is one: "In the last chapter it has been said that the primary feeling that this world is strange and yet attractive is best expressed in fairy tales. The reader may, if he likes, put down the next stage to that bellicose and even jingo literature which commonly comes next in the history of a boy. We all owe much sound morality to the penny dreadfuls. Whatever the reason, it seemed and still seems to me that our attitude towards life can be better expressed in terms of a kind of military loyalty than in terms of criticism and approval. My acceptance of the universe is not optimism, it is more like patriotism. It is a matter of primary loyalty. The world is not a lodging-house at Brighton, which we are to leave because it is miserable. It is the fortress of our family, with the flag flying on the turret, and the more miserable it is the less we should leave it. The point is not that this world is too sad to love or too glad not to love; the point is that when you do love a thing, its gladness is a reason for loving it, and its sadness a reason for loving it more. All optimistic thoughts about England and all pessimistic thoughts about her are alike reasons for the English patriot. Similarly, optimism and pessimism are alike arguments for the cosmic patriot."
This makes perfect sense to me. I don't really understand why all people are not patriots. England is to me, as an Englishman, as the world is to me as a human: it contains good and bad, but is, even selfishly speaking, the very context of my existence.
This morning on Plough, Wilfred McClay wrote something that struck me about celebratng our natiom's birthday. If our great grandfather was celebrating his 100th birthday, would we be bringing up all his faults and mistakes?? No! We would simply celebrate his successes, his longevity and what he means to us. There is another time to bring up problems he caused or our disappointments with him, if it is necessary, but at this moment it is only appropriate to celebrate his life and what he has meant to us! Same with the celebraton of our Nation's birthday.
When it comes to patriotism, I always think of a couple of paragraphs in Chesterton's Orthodoxy, of which this is one: "In the last chapter it has been said that the primary feeling that this world is strange and yet attractive is best expressed in fairy tales. The reader may, if he likes, put down the next stage to that bellicose and even jingo literature which commonly comes next in the history of a boy. We all owe much sound morality to the penny dreadfuls. Whatever the reason, it seemed and still seems to me that our attitude towards life can be better expressed in terms of a kind of military loyalty than in terms of criticism and approval. My acceptance of the universe is not optimism, it is more like patriotism. It is a matter of primary loyalty. The world is not a lodging-house at Brighton, which we are to leave because it is miserable. It is the fortress of our family, with the flag flying on the turret, and the more miserable it is the less we should leave it. The point is not that this world is too sad to love or too glad not to love; the point is that when you do love a thing, its gladness is a reason for loving it, and its sadness a reason for loving it more. All optimistic thoughts about England and all pessimistic thoughts about her are alike reasons for the English patriot. Similarly, optimism and pessimism are alike arguments for the cosmic patriot."
This makes perfect sense to me. I don't really understand why all people are not patriots. England is to me, as an Englishman, as the world is to me as a human: it contains good and bad, but is, even selfishly speaking, the very context of my existence.
Well that's much better than whatever stuff and nonsense Zohran Mamdani was spouting the other day.
This installment of Further Up is (as always) elegant, inspired, and deeply appreciated.
This morning on Plough, Wilfred McClay wrote something that struck me about celebratng our natiom's birthday. If our great grandfather was celebrating his 100th birthday, would we be bringing up all his faults and mistakes?? No! We would simply celebrate his successes, his longevity and what he means to us. There is another time to bring up problems he caused or our disappointments with him, if it is necessary, but at this moment it is only appropriate to celebrate his life and what he has meant to us! Same with the celebraton of our Nation's birthday.
This one is close to perfect.