Lab
See how this opinion breaks down by gender, political spectrum and generation — and who shares your view.
Gender
4 comments
It is not saying you support what your country did or didn't do, it is saying that you support your country and will always work to improve. It's not like "I support my country thus I believe segregation was good" no you can go "I support my country and I'm against segregation so I fight to end it "
I'd see that more as standing for your morals or people from your country than your country itself.
You can like your country and go against it, but I wouldn't consider that "supporting" your country, at that point you're trying to change your country, which can be a good thing
You're right that it doesn't explicitly say that, but the phrasing of the question strongly implies that what is being asked.
Extreme nationalism, where loyalty to your country overrides any other allegiance to right or wrong, is dangerous.
-
Nationalistic beliefs can be harmless, but they can also descend into a kind of mob mentality. [George Orwell] (https://lithub.com/what-george-orwell-wrote-about-the-dangers-of-nationalism/) described this kind of nationalism as "the habit of identifying oneself with a single nation or other unit, placing it beyond good and evil and recognising no other duty than of advancing its interests."
-
The instinct can be strong to [assimilate ourselves] (https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/why-does-nationalism-exude-a-seductive-appeal-1.3625641) into the realm of a collective national identity. However, nationalism risks encouraging deeply binary thinking: like viewing your country as such an extension of yourself that it is beyond any critical consideration. It also encourages seeing other countries as distinctly 'other', feeding into xenophobia and hostility.
-
Overall: it is absolutely important to exercise critical thinking about the actions and choices of your country and those in powerful leadership positions.
Further resources:
Make the case or invite a friend to comment!