Notes on Nationalism

[RLENT]

I found this piece as a consequence of trying to trace back a quotation which was quoted in reply to me, in a thread quite a while ago. I had intended to post it, but never got around to it.

It was penned by an English writer and observer of the human condition by the name of Eric Arthur Blair - many probably know him better by his pen name: George Orwell.

I found it to be a fascinating read and a very insightful piece regarding the inclinations of man as a political animal. It seems like it might qualify as one of those things that apply to all men in all times ......

Thanks go to my friend aristotle for bringing it to my attention.

While it isn't terribly long, it is long enough that I cannot quote it in a single post, so I will simply link to it:

Notes on Nationalism

 

[greg334]

I just wished it was better formatted.

By the way, I could not find his essay on the rearming of Germany and why it was a bad thing. I have a copy of it somewhere in print, but it is a good piece nevertheless.

Also ...

"I worked out an anarchistic theory that all government is evil, that the punishment always does more harm than the crime and the people can be trusted to behave decently if you will only let them alone."

 

[Turtle]

Orwell is talking about basic groupism, a societal survival instinct that dates back a really, really long way. There's safety in numbers: protect the group, protect yourself.

While Orwell doesn't accept the argument, and I wouldn't even use it as an excuse for staying out of politics altogether, I would nonetheless argue that no unbiased outlook is possible within the larger scope of groupism, and that all creeds and causes do generally involve the same sorts lies, follies, and barbarities when it comes to politics. It's the nature of the beast, literally and figuratively.