Happens to me, too. I don't do it to draw attention to myself, but being in the minority has its awkward moments, sometimes involving an unwanted spotlight from the people in the "majority." I manage . . . and now I can silently say my alternate pledge to the Rise & Shine Mother Cluckers to amuse myself while everyone else is pledging to their other flag :-D
Flags and team colors, etc., are all used to create an US vs Them mentality.
Social Psychologists have experimented on this and it works amazingly well. You can take people, team them up, give them a flag and in no time at all they will see the other Team as the enemy. They could have been friends ten minutes beforehand and now they will fight with them over just about anything. Flags are part and parcel of Government propaganda too.
In some cases a little healthy competition based around team allegiance is a good thing. Nothing wrong with being proud of your high school or college for instance. Most of the time on a national level however, it's used to cement a position of our Government Right or Wrong.
This is why everyone from schools to sporting teams use them. They are a visual representation of "WE" and We can be the fact that we belong to a collective Government structure or that we are united as a NATION of people with like minded goals and ambitions.
I know people who fly the flag who love their Nation but also despise the government, personally I think it's a bit naive to think the two can be completely separate ideas. Since this nation does have a government, if you support the nation by flying the flag aren't you still supporting the government? Aren't you just saying Go team America and doesn't that automatic acceptance lead to government abuse? I believe it does, I believe it leads to a "My government, right or wrong" mentality in general.
I won't fly the flag and I refused to stand for the national anthem the last time I was at an event and that was despite being front and center due to my friend's daughter doing the singing.
Flags are strong emotional juju meant to manipulate you into accepting the government or other institutions as worth supporting, while also giving you a sense of Superiority.
Ps. No other nation on Earth that I know of has so many zealous flag wavers.
Yes, it plays on our deeply evolutionary tribalism. In-group/out-group, Us vs. Them. "Emotional juju."
> I know people who fly the flag who love their Nation but also despise the government, personally I think it's a bit naive to think the two can be completely separate ideas.
I'm with you on this. The "nation" is a government creation. You can love people and despise the government; you can even love society -- which is simply an aggregate of social interactions -- at some reasonable scale and despise the government. But it says right there in the dopey Pledge of Allegiance "and to the republic, for which it stands." A republic is a reference to the government!
What some "love my nation, not my government" folks might also be saying is that they simply despise the current officials of government. But if the officials changed, they'd like the government! I despise government, period. Coercive civil authority is inherently, intrinsically evil. #CCAIIIE
Sky Cloths . . . You have to say the Magic Prayer to them or you don't get the freedoms.
And I have to get rid of some of these eggs in the fridge.
I wonder if saying the Magic Prayer to the Sky Cloth of the Rise & Shine Mother Cluckers will get you more eggs :-D
Well, my neighbors would.
Love this essay. And I agree whole-heartedly.
Thanks, Bryan!
Love this- productivity
A days work for a days wages
This is really a fun way to share your point, Dom!
Thanks! I had to edit myself to keep it from getting too snarky, but I'm glad the fun and humor came across :-)
I always find it a bit awkward when I find myself among Christians, at an event, and I'm the only one not rising to salute the flag.
Happens to me, too. I don't do it to draw attention to myself, but being in the minority has its awkward moments, sometimes involving an unwanted spotlight from the people in the "majority." I manage . . . and now I can silently say my alternate pledge to the Rise & Shine Mother Cluckers to amuse myself while everyone else is pledging to their other flag :-D
Love it
Thanks, Neal!
Flags and team colors, etc., are all used to create an US vs Them mentality.
Social Psychologists have experimented on this and it works amazingly well. You can take people, team them up, give them a flag and in no time at all they will see the other Team as the enemy. They could have been friends ten minutes beforehand and now they will fight with them over just about anything. Flags are part and parcel of Government propaganda too.
In some cases a little healthy competition based around team allegiance is a good thing. Nothing wrong with being proud of your high school or college for instance. Most of the time on a national level however, it's used to cement a position of our Government Right or Wrong.
This is why everyone from schools to sporting teams use them. They are a visual representation of "WE" and We can be the fact that we belong to a collective Government structure or that we are united as a NATION of people with like minded goals and ambitions.
I know people who fly the flag who love their Nation but also despise the government, personally I think it's a bit naive to think the two can be completely separate ideas. Since this nation does have a government, if you support the nation by flying the flag aren't you still supporting the government? Aren't you just saying Go team America and doesn't that automatic acceptance lead to government abuse? I believe it does, I believe it leads to a "My government, right or wrong" mentality in general.
I won't fly the flag and I refused to stand for the national anthem the last time I was at an event and that was despite being front and center due to my friend's daughter doing the singing.
Flags are strong emotional juju meant to manipulate you into accepting the government or other institutions as worth supporting, while also giving you a sense of Superiority.
Ps. No other nation on Earth that I know of has so many zealous flag wavers.
Yes, it plays on our deeply evolutionary tribalism. In-group/out-group, Us vs. Them. "Emotional juju."
> I know people who fly the flag who love their Nation but also despise the government, personally I think it's a bit naive to think the two can be completely separate ideas.
I'm with you on this. The "nation" is a government creation. You can love people and despise the government; you can even love society -- which is simply an aggregate of social interactions -- at some reasonable scale and despise the government. But it says right there in the dopey Pledge of Allegiance "and to the republic, for which it stands." A republic is a reference to the government!
What some "love my nation, not my government" folks might also be saying is that they simply despise the current officials of government. But if the officials changed, they'd like the government! I despise government, period. Coercive civil authority is inherently, intrinsically evil. #CCAIIIE