I teach English in Japan, and when I ask students what's up these days, the answer is inevitably "the Olympics." Japanese are particularly entranced with their female figure skaters, as Mao Asada and Miki Ando are the only Japanese competitors thought to have a chance to win a gold in any prestigious event. As would people in any country, most Japanese say they want Japanese athletes to win. When they say that, I ask them: why?
Duh, responds the reader. But I think it's a good idea to occasionally give serious thought to questions that we'd normally consider too obvious to bother answering. Why should I care whether Athlete A from my country defeats Athlete B from another country, when until two days ago, I had never heard of either of them? Personally, I don't, though I know I'm unusual.
Of course, I know the answer: "I identify with my country. My country is my 'team,' and I want it to win. I like to know that my country is better than other countries, because I then feel as though I'm better." Well, okay, people wouldn't say that last part out loud. But it's definitely true. Many will say they want their country's team to win because "I'm patriotic." Now, is this a good thing?
In some cases, certainly. Patriotism can bind people together, help them unite in the face of attack or tragedy. It can be a legitimate feeling of pride when one's country has done something admirable. Used for positive purposes, it can enable a country to do what it perhaps otherwise could not. But used negatively, it morphs into nationalism, the use of national pride for political purposes. It fosters and encourages a "we are better than they are" feeling, tapping into the human need for recognition, validation, and social standing.
Sad to say, throughout history patriotism has been used for far more negative than positive purposes. There are few better examples of this than the recent history of the country in which I currently reside. The Japanese of the early 20th century were ceaselessly told by their leaders that they were special, led by an emperor considered a living god, superior to any other country, and thus divinely destined to rule others, starting with Asia. That didn't quite work out, and nationalism got such a bad name here that even saying that one is patriotic is something one doesn't do too loudly.
This has never been a problem in the U.S., a country in which it is a felony for a politician to speak for 15 minutes or more without mentioning that "the U.S. is the greatest country on Earth." (Okay, that's not true. But it seems like it.) Quick quiz: what was the last time Americans' patriotism was used by the government as a political tool for a major policy objective? If you didn't say "the Iraq War," then you weren't thinking very hard. The Bush government repeatedly invoked patriotism in support of the war to remove the terrible danger that Saddam posed to America, and routinely questioned the patriotism of anyone who questioned or opposed this objective.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Baronius
Interesting article, but you're behind the curve. The government has already told us that tea parties, opposition to health care reform, and the latest Supreme Court decision are all un-American.
2 - KAFrench
As a Canadian, I read your article with interest. Often from an objective standpoint there have been studies and discussions on the many examples of mighty 'empires' and their egos. Normally, Canadians lean towards diplomacy, peaceful solutions and calmness. With our latest leader at the helm, though, Canada was caught up in the hypnotic hype generated by the both the government and the media as far as the Olympics went. Swept by a desire to be showcased in a positive light, the nation united to such an extent on that goal that it morphed into a step beyond - that of seeking domination. At that, the games ceased to be fun. Instead, they were like notches on a warrior's belt. Thankfully, after the USA/Canada hockey game the 'finger' snapped and we collectively woke up to remember what the games are, why they exist and most importantly...who we are. We still love hockey and winning, we still love our athletes and applaud them, but in proper perspective. The games are back, not to be used to define us, rather to inspire us.
3 - roger nowosielski
It doesn't matter, Baronius, what the government tells us. Since when are government pronouncements and propaganda supposed to influence individual conscience?
Consequently, I must regard your opening remark as totally off point. It would seem that Semprini was inviting us, each and everyone, to think for ourselves. You, on the other hand, are suggesting that his appeal is misguided, that we've long lost the ability to do so.
Well, of all the things you mentioned, that's the most un-American things of all.
I presume of course that you were merely facetious.
4 - Baronius
Roger, are you now following me thread to thread, picking fights? This is exasperating. I don't know why everything's got to be personal with you. I mean, I really don't know what to do. Do you want me off the site? Do you want me to apologize for ever disagreeing with you? I probably won't do either. Is this all part of your provocation? Both Vijai and Jeannie have called you on this recently. Constant needling doesn't stimulate the discussion any; we do a good job of discussing things on this site. Needling just marginalizes your contribution. So please, stop doing whatever it is that you're doing.
5 - Dr Dreadful
Speaking as a Briton living in the US (one medal so far... but it's gold! Yay!) I have noticed a distinct improvement in NBC's broadcasting of the Vancouver Games over previous Olympics, with regard to its Americentric coverage.
Of course NBC is going to want to celebrate the success of American athletes, but its programming in Beijing, when events in which an American was not expected to do well were either glossed over or ignored completely, was nothing short of exasperating. (I saw a grand total of one medal ceremony in which an American was not awarded the gold, and that was only because the medals for the men's marathon were given out as part of the closing ceremony.)
Perhaps it's because the US just isn't as strong in winter sports - although they do currently lead the medals table - but NBC is giving a lot more airtime this time around to the achievements of foreign competitors. Kudos to them for that.
There seems to be one big difference between how Americans demonstrate patriotism and the way other peoples do it. Every country thinks - indeed, knows - that they are God's own country. And just like everyone else, Americans believe that their country is the greatest on Earth.
The difference is that Americans expect everyone else to agree.
And they can get quite insecure if we don't!
6 - roger nowosielski
I wasn't following you, Baronius, and I am not trying to pick any fights.
I certainly don't want you off. But let's face it, we have an honest disagreement at times and that just as you, I am equally unabashed to express my opinion. (In fact, your recent comment to Vijai on the other thread was kind of a dig, wasn't it?)
But anyways, if you like I'll tone my polemics somewhat since it seems to be counterproductive.
Peace.
7 - KAFrench
Just one other point. You asked, "Is there anything wrong with rooting for athletes only because they're from our country?" In competitions, one's countrymen are equivalent to our 'sons' and 'daughters'. To children, they are their 'big brothers' and 'big sisters'. We relate to them on a familiar (in every sense of that word) level and to not root for them would be, I think, unusual. The real test is acknowledging that others can and are better on any given day and respecting that.
8 - Glenn Contrarian
Semprini -
"Our country! In her intercourse with foreign nations, may she always be in the right; but our country, right or wrong."
Stephen Decatur, American naval hero, said that back in 1816...and it's not an American thing, it's a human thing.
Rooting for one's side - whether national, political, regional, scholastic, ethnic, racial, or familial - is completely and absolutely understandable. There are those who make a big deal out of it (like one certain BC conservative who claimed that the blacks were racist because almost all supported Obama), but to deny someone's urge, someone's drive to root for his or her 'own side' is really a denial of a very real human instinct.
Which, btw, one thing I found really interesting about the movie 'Avatar' (and, to a lesser extent, 'District 9'), because at the end most of us are rooting for the aliens against humanity! It's obviously a result of the American tendency to root for the underdog...but I suspect that such support for the 'outsider' underdog against the Big Bully (who is 'one of us') is really just as human as 'rooting for one's side'.
But such are really merely exceptions to the rule - we root for and defend those who are "one of us", whatever we may be using for the definition of membership in 'our' club.
Let me give you a prime example - are you ex-military? Let's say you were some service other than MY Navy. I'd be telling you that you're not one of us, and refer to you insultingly as a Jarhead (Marine), Airedale (Air Force), Grunt (Army or Marine), Post Coastie (Coast Guard). If you were in the Navy, but was not a surface ship engineer like I was, I'd be telling you that you're not one of us, and refer to you insultingly as an Airedale (you work on the flight deck) or a Sewer-Pipe Sailor or Bubblehead (for submariners) or a host of other insults 'cause you're not a pit snipe like me.
But if you are ex-military but not Navy, I'd tell you that you're not one of us, and don't you dare insult MY fellow sailors (be they Airedales or bubbleheads or whatever) from MY Navy, you side-walkin' sandcrab no-load pollywog! No real insult intended in that load of scorn and spite, btw. Honest!
And if you've never been in the military at all, don't you dare insult MY fellow servicemembers from MY military (be they whatever!). You've never been one of us! You're just a civilian!
And if you're not an American citizen and I see you talking down one of MY fellow American citizens - even one who hates the American military - I'd tell you you're not one of us, and spice my invective up with insults learned in twenty years' worth of blood, sweat, and tears.
See what I mean? It's just like family - you can insult your sister if you want, but if I insult her you're going to knock my teeth down my throat, and rightly so.
This is all normal and acceptable human psychology...and as before, applies to political, regional, national, ethnic, racial, scholastic, familial, and any other kind of affiliation that exists in the human experience.
Maybe this is why back in the early 70's, when the psychologist came out saying, "I'm okay, you're okay" most of us desperately wanted to choke some sense into him.
9 - Glenn Contrarian
And Semprini -
I'm green with jealousy - I'd love to teach English in Japan - but it looks like I'll be settling for teaching it in the Philippines (where almost everyone speaks English quite well anyway).
10 - roger nowosielski
That's quite an identification, KAFrench, "our sons and daughters."
So it looks like we're back to our tribal instinct.
11 - roger nowosielski
Time to get rid of the "us-them" syndrome, Glenn.
12 - Glenn Contrarian
Rog -
Might as well get rid of your humanity, friend. In other words, it ain't gonna happen. Ever. Not in my lifetime or my son's or my greatx10-kids' lifetimes.
And this is what you do - you do the best you can as long as you can...and adapt to that which you cannot change.
The serenity prayer certainly applies, Rog -
13 - roger nowosielski
I thoroughly disagree, Glenn. We have to live our lives according to our best lights. There's no alternative to speak of. In fact, that's all that is required of us, nothing more.
And then, let the devil take the rest, Glenn. I'm quite willing to live and die by this precept.
14 - STM
Glenn: "The serenity prayer certainly applies".
When does it ever NOT apply Glenn :)
15 - STM
At virtually every Olympics, the only gold medal ceremonies we see on TV in this country are those in which an Aussie has won gold or one in which an Aussie wasn't competing. They did show all of Michael Phelps' medals though last time around in the summer games.
Aussie Torah Bright's gold medal in the women's half pipe was played over and over during this winter games.
We are good at summery sports - both men's and women's world champion surfers are currently Aussies - but the winter games is a bit of a problem in that we onlt get a bit of snow, sometimes, up in the aptly named snowy mountains, and only for a short period of time over the southern hemisphere winter.
Which made Torah's defeat of all and sundry all that more sweet.
Go Oz!
16 - roger nowosielski
Let's all get up then every wakeful day, rise and shine, and eat shit.
17 - roger nowosielski
I am surprised that the Aussies got any kind of medal, especially the gold
In fact, I'm more than flabergasted that Poland has got four.
But the Germany's performance is definitely outstanding, neck to neck with USA.
18 - Dr Dreadful
Germany topped the medal count last time out, Rog. They're a winter sports powerhouse. If I were German I'd be disappointed that the USA was still breathing down our necks.
The ones, I suspect, who are feeling really disappointed are the Austrians. Think of all the great Austrian skiers of the past; yet they're getting nothing on the slopes this time. Who'd a thunk it?
19 - Dr Dreadful
Stan,
Don't you think Torah looks a bit like her esteemed compatriot Ms Kidman, only a bit horsier? :-)
20 - KAFrench
The whole 'us' and 'them' syndrome can and should be expanded whenever possible. Root for your family, your vicinity, your area, your country, continent, world. The further out one can go, the further developed one is. It's the ultimate goal and a sure sign of becoming self-actualized. One who can narrow the focus down to the 'tribal' and still maintain a view out to the universe is able to evolve and make progress. The way to know you have that capacity in this context, is if ultimately, at the end of the day, you revel in the success of mankind.
21 - roger nowosielski
By expanding it, do you mean accentuating it?
22 - roger nowosielski
I can't think of Austrians, Dreadful, as being the powerhouse in Winter sports. I do know they're decent tennis players.
You must me thinking ways back.
23 - KAFrench
Not exactly, but that's not a bad idea either, if by accentuate you mean focus or being aware of it.
No, I meant see the 'us' as far as you can go, while the 'them' shrinks. The narrowest minded people think of themselves against the world. That is the extreme. The most open minded are able to grasp and appreciate the context and capacity of humanity itself against the flaws and shortcomings of the individual.
24 - Dr Dreadful
I can't think of Austrians, Dreadful, as being the powerhouse in Winter sports.
Well, alpine skiing, anyway. Remember Hermann Meier (the Hermannator), Franz Klammer, Renate Götschl, Steff Eberharter and Anton Sailer, to name a few?
25 - roger nowosielski
Goes to show how out of touch I am with Winter sports.