Hidden Treasure Series-Part XI - On Patriotism

My Dear Friends-on-Mother-Earth,

At the age of three, maybe inspired by my Dad and his fiery patriotism, the day-after India defeated Pakistan in the 1972 war, ‘Yours Truly’ was found  running in the street of melaveedhi in Thanjavur loudly rhyming “Ayub Khan Down Down, Pakistan Down Down”.  No wonder the child was lapped up by all and that instant is somehow green in my LEFT brain, which otherwise is useless in remembering names, numbers and formulae’s.

Wars after wars, man, the biological brute hasn’t learnt the lesson. However, as we evolve towards a peaceful world order, (thanks to India a.k.a Bharath) we need to redefine patriotism, isn’t it? Read on…

Ravi: Wonderful connecting with you again. From a scholarly perspective, can you trace the word patriotism and its origins as I FEEL that patriotism is dynamic and not a static regional perspective?

GRK: Sure Ravi.

‘Patriotism’ does not mean one’s territory consciousness especially in comparison with and at the expense of other territories. In this sense, it is nothing but a feeling of ‘in group’, something of exclusiveness instead of inclusiveness. Thus, it is anti-universal, if not anti-social, and inhuman.

Ravi: Wait a minute gentleman, did I get you right? Anti-social?

GRK: I understand your shock. The roots of the sentiment of patriotism go back to the tribal consciousness; especially to an inimical negative relationship with other tribes. The feeling of being patriotic to a tribe had grown into that of a clan or a caste. Later it encompassed to a race. Patriotism to a race later became a feeling to a region and then at last it has become a feeling to one’s political and geographical boundaries, i.e., nations and nationalities in the dictionary of political science. Thus it is primitive.

Ravi: And then what happened? How did humans redefine it?

GRK: He redefined Patriotism as a sense of feeling or PRIDE to one’s nation, race, caste, religion and THAT led to many inhuman acts. It has culminated in various forms of chauvinism including the atrocious fascism. At present, it is leading to various sorts of divisive movements and tendencies, in a country or among countries themselves, such as regional and language movements, ‘sons of the soil’ concepts, movements of locals, over emphasis on regional autonomy etc.  Thus, extreme form of patriotism to a limited object, leads to unhealthy parochialism.

Ravi, under the name of  patriotism, humanity was murdered, a country exploited the other country, one nation subjugating the other, a race dominating the other. Cultural genocide occurred in many parts if the world under the name of the sentiment. In-human exploitation and colonization of many countries took place. Blood flowed in streams; empires collapsed, masses were massacred and the earth was made miserable and left wounded and hurt.

Ravi: Well, that’s history, we all know, forgave and forgot. However, some countries do not have seem to have learnt the lesson. I was loathing with anger with American rulers for destroying Iraq to KILL one man. What does Patriotism mean in the current context, especially for this hold land, Bharath, one of the emerging economies, the future role model to the world? I’m aware of the greatness of this holy land and hence this Question.

GRK: Patriotism is a glorious and ennobling one. It’s a universal one. It should mean one’s sense of concern and care to one’s immediate fellow beings and surroundings. It must mean the generosity, the love and the great concern to one’s neighbors.  Thus it is a feeling or ‘homeliness’; a feeling of neighborhood and a feeling of generosity to one’s fellow beings and surroundings. The best meaning of patriotism is very well expressed in the saying that ‘charity begins at home’. Charity here does not mean giving a gift, or a dole to ill-placed people, but giving a generous human concern and treatment. All those people, all of us, who talk so much about patriotism, do we really have this generosity, this love and this concern to our neighbors, fellow beings and surroundings?  If it would have been so, this earth must have been much happier and peaceful place to live with.

Ravi: I guess the human LEFT brain is conditioned so that we only remember the negative feelings or provocable instincts in the sentiment of patriotism, the so-called national pride, racial pride, caste pride and religious pride; but not the positive & humane sentiment of generosity and homeliness to the immediate neighbors. Why is it so?

GRK: That’s because the ‘fish always rots from the head down.’ The rulers and the ruling-elites throughout the world are nowadays talking very much about the values of non-aggression, non-interference, Non-violence, and mutual co-operation and universal brotherhood and peace. Do they really believe in what they say and propagate? If so, why they are provoking their masses to hate the masses in other countries? Why each country, through a huge sophisticated propaganda machinery, is trying to spread hatred and canard of lies against its neighbors or other countries? Why one ruler is feeling insecure against the other? Why one type of government defames the other? Why one class of rulers indulge in cold war against the other class of rulers? Why THEN, Stuxnet  on IRAN? Why Memogate? Why and why? In fact often rulers and ruling classes and regimes provoke their masses to rise in war against the other countries masses, just to divert their attention from the growing suffering, poverty and exploitation at home. The fear and frenzy of war is used more as a tactic of survival for the ruling regime or system. Than as measure to protect one’s boundaries. Thus patriotism takes the shape of a war phobia.

Ravi: Allow to me add that Sports and entertainment are a great leveler sir. We adore an Imran Khan or WHY even a pugnacious Javed Miandad for his tenacity. Our Bollywood is adored there as well. We revere Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan, the ‘Frontier Gandhi’. This hold land Bharath never invaded other country. What I’m suggesting is Masses, throughout the world history, in any country or in between the countries, never fought world wars. The rulers and the regimes, committed on the destinies of helpless millions, decided and indulged in world wars. They created war hysteria and hatred among the nations and races all under the name of so-called patriotism. The rulers even went to the extent of giving national awards to those who fought valiantly in the wars and massacred as many soldiers and peoples of the opposite country as possible. Is it a real valor to kill human beings enmasse and under the name of patriotism? Does this deserve awarding of national honors?  If an individual takes away another’s life, it is considered as a heinous crime. How is it that they justify and glorify and award honors to a soldier who kills many in war?

GRK: I’m glad for your understanding of this crucial aspect. After all human life is human life, in whatever context it is and to whichever country it belongs. It is precious and Godly! When do we realize this? When shall we start realizing it? After all, this tiny little precious earth cannot afford to have one more world war, without wiping itself off from the universe. Thus any sentiment, including patriotism which divides people, and causes hatred, has no place in this modern world. What we need now is Universal Consciousness and Universal Brotherhood and NOT the patriotism of insecurity in this world. i.e., due to the lack of intellectual self-sufficiency in us. We attempt confining humanity to national boundaries. We need to build the bridges of understanding between different countries, cultures and peoples. But NOT balkanizing people through the egoistic patriotic national consciousness!  That is the only way to lasting peace and happiness on this earth, my friend.

Ravi: Thank you so much for this sharing. I’m sure everyone would have a re-think on Patriotism - in the modern ‘flat-and-wired’ but divided world. India has since time immemorial been exporting Spiritual Gurus throughout the world and scores of spiritual seekers come to this land and India has always welcomed them. No wonder THEN, this holy land never waged a war against any country.

Folks, proud to be born as an Indian in this birth; in the emerging world order of universal brotherhood. And always our revered thanks to our spiritual thinkers and to the technologists from all over the world as well for giving the platform to share and care – online or offline throughout the world. B for meaningless and FEELINGLESS Bat-and-Ball has long been replaced by meaning and FEELINGS – Children these days chime B for ‘Bandwidth’ and Brotherhood. So let’s cool down Professor, because world would be a better place, albeit humans would pay a costly price to achieve it. Thanks a ton. My heart is indeed lighter after getting heavier first, how about you readers?

Ps: I suspect it was a Godly intervention to give Nobel Prize for peace to Obama as a deterrent in him, the American ruler, to wage wars like his inglorious and inhuman RIGHT brainless predecessors, notably as-deadly-as-Hitler father-son duo who MISUSED patriotism, ransomed the prosperity of ever-friendly Americans, bankrupting the treasury as well. I wish somehow I meet them once and give my peace of mind to them for what they have done to the world order.

Signing off with tons of joules of Positive Energy to Mother Earth and all living souls on it,

Ravichander Venkatraman