Reply #13: it depends, of course [View All]

[Lexingtonian]

Unfortunately, patriotism these days invariably means the championing of the very limited, corrupt, and colonial society and system of the past. It's all about resurrecting the U.S. of James Jones's "From Here To Eternity".

The potential this country has from its geography and human variety, the way it has overcome itself in the past, the unique opportunity this society has to transform itself into the first truly polycultural, Modern, civilization- there is no way of looking at it without hopefulness and wonder and a certain level of trust. Faith, really. I dunno about love- I'm share Hannah Arendt's view that you can only love individual persons, not a people, in the way you can admire qualities but not appetites- but a tender and passionate faith...that's about the only thing that keeps anyone working against the nutcases, wackos, tools, turds, and morons who want to abuse it all.

I think you should do more travelling overseas. It lends perspective. It makes it harder to overlook the faults of the country, but inspires to more effort to overcome them.