LogFAQs > #943338908

hungrymike posted...

"Historically,both patriotism and nationalism were used roughly in the same way. But they significantly diverged along the way, and one has a much more positive connotation than the other. Do you know which is which"

So, new speak?

Patriotism might be described as respect for the laws, institutions, and customs of a country. Nationalism could be described as a sense of attachment to a shared history, territory, traditions and language. It's perfectly possible to be a nationalist without having a state, or to be a recently arrived immigrant who doesn't share the same roots as the majority population but who nevertheless feels they're a citizen. That's my take.

The American sense of identity has always struck me as being complex, multilayered, and fluid because of the country's settler/immigrant/slave origins. As an American, you trace your country's origin back to what is likely to be a very different past to that of your people. For instance, when you're Asian-American and your country's founding heroes are the descendants of white British settlers. If you're African-American, it's got to be even more complicated.

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Watching the shadows burn