Nationalism And Patiotism
Nationalism and Patriotism: What's the Difference?
Nationalism and patriotism are both about loving your country, but they're not the same thing. They might seem similar, but there's a big difference between them. Nationalism is about thinking your country's culture, language, and history make it better than others. Patriotism is more about loving your country for its values and beliefs.
George Orwell, a famous writer, once said that nationalism is a big enemy of peace. He believed that nationalism makes people think their country is the best in every way, but patriotism is just loving your country's way of life. According to Orwell, patriotism is calm, but nationalism can be kind of aggressive.
Patriotism is all about affection, while nationalism has more to do with competition and being upset with other countries. Nationalism is often about thinking your country is better than others, but patriots love their country and still think it can get better. Patriots are also more open to being friends with other countries, unlike some nationalists.
While patriotism means thinking everyone in the world is equal, nationalism says only people from your country are your equals. Patriots are okay with hearing criticism and can learn from it, but nationalists see criticism as an insult and can't stand it.
Nationalists focus only on the good things about their country and ignore the bad parts. They also might look down on other countries' good points. Patriotism, though, is about caring for what's right and accepting your country's flaws.
Nationalists try to make excuses for the bad things their country has done in the past, but patriots understand both the good and the bad parts of their country's history.
After reading, think about these questions:
1. What did George Orwell say about nationalism and patriotism?
2. What do nationalists usually think about their country?
3. What do patriots believe about their country?
4. Between patriotism and nationalism, which one sees people from around the world as equals?
5. Which do you think is better, nationalism or patriotism? Why?