This word, strange to the tongues and consciousness of Canadians across our country is being touted as a locus of national identity. Patriotic. That defines us - and not merely because of the 2010 Winter Olympics on home turf. This reality is merely a catalyst for the dormant (but now surfaced) patriotism emanating from Vancouver.
But, are we really patriotic? Or rather, a much more meaningful question, what is patriotism? Love of one’s country? Love of the success of one’s country? Moreover, how much of our perceived patriotism is a fad, and how much will become a defining feature of our country post-Olympics? My inclination is to say that patriotism has less to do with colours, flags and victory than we might think, and more to do with deep roots of conflict over geography.
In the light of this Olympic Winter Games, movements like “Own the Podium” seem to take the discourse of patriotism in a different direction by placing immense expectations and large quantities of money at the centre of discussions of patriotism. Patriotism, in this context, means the ability to bolster national pride and devotion through media and finances.
What do you think about the “rise of patriotism” in Canadians? Is it merely the Olympics, or is it something deeper? What does it mean for us to be patriotic?
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1 comments:
To me, patriotism has always signified being proud of one's country for upholding specific values. This is why there is such a connection to flags, colours, songs, etc.... because these things generally contain some reference to the values that the country is known for upholding.
I think, though, that by and large patriotism is built around avoiding actual discourse over whether the values are being met, which is why you would have to pour so much money into the project of revitalizing patriotism. I think most Canadians realize that the values we claim to uphold -- freedom, pluralism, progressive thinking -- are not really prominent national values. So the shift moves from values to the flag itself, and from the difficult choices that uphold values over money or comfort to the easier declaration of those values.
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