I always get such amusement out of writing a new entry into the blog assignments of this semester. So, this is always the way that I start off my blog posts and I think that by keeping these as informal as possible, and allowing people to read these more as a reflection of myself as a person, it allows this class to become a little more interactive on a personal level. I apologize if when you are reading this you are thinking to yourself that this individual must be a little 'nutso' haha.
So as I sit here at my desk typing this post out, I listen to the one and only Beetles, and I sit down to read this chapter, and the one thing that has really stuck with me more than anything else throughout the past couple chapters is a quote by Preserved Smith. "No other factor in history, not even religion, has produced so many wars as has the clash of national egotism sanctified by the name of patriotism". This quote in itself is a very strong quote, and the idea that is based behind it. I think that this concept can not only be applied to many of the conflicts today in our society, but on a smaller scale, as society has progressed, we can relate to this on a smaller more personal and social scale.
The Belle Epoque time was one of great struggle and perseverance. Starting in the 1870's, the world witnessed a great competition for imperial expansion as both Germany and Italy had unified, and France, Austria, and Great Britain invested their monarchs with the guardianship of national pride. With these events taking place, and the eventual demise of of many of the leadership roles and figureheads around Europe, the structure of political power shifted greatly in a number of different ways. With that being said, the idea of nationalism and the fervent belief in the sanctity of one's nation and ethnic origins both contributed to a unified Europe and lead to the generation of personal freedom at home and abroad. In addition, citizens around the world saw nationalism become a spiritual factor in political developments.
Ultimately the reason I decided to use this quote as the basis for my blog post was because I couldn't agree with that statement any more wholeheartedly. Being a Canadian and being from a different country, I am blessed with the opportunity to see things through a different light here in America. This blog post is not something that should be taken personally. This is not an attack on the United States, but this is something that I have noticed since being a resident in the United States since Sept. 2009.
When Preserved Smith states that "the clash of national egotisms", is the factor throughout history that has produced more wars and clashes than anything else, including religion, he is stating truth. In our society today, there is nothing more intimidating or unreliable than a nation's willingness to show their dominance on a world scale. Throughout history, we have been plagued with such examples. During World War Two, Hitler and the Nazi regime took a risk by dividing their troops and sending a portion to Russia to face the Allied forces throughout the winter. This was not a smart tactical move on Hitler's behalf. His momentum and 'egotistical'' approach to fighting this war ultimately cost him the entire war in the long run. Because of this personal self-faith, he lost on both fronts, costing him any opportunity at world domination. Another key example can be connected to the falling of the twin towers on 9/11. Not only was it within reason for the United States to defend their nation and their pride by attacking Afghanistan, but the basis for which this decision was made was based on greedy, egotistical circumstances. Colin Powell, the secretary of state at the time, surrendered his chair position and stepped away from the Bush administration, prior to it being found that false information was included in the report that was ultimately sanctioned by the United Nations for entry into Afghanistan and soon after Iraq, Iran, and Pakistan. I feel that the true motivations by President Bush were warranted. The defense and safety of his nation was jeopardized, and his response would ultimately provide a sense of security and patriotism among its people. However, this would not be the case. Patriotism continues to mask the idea that Americans feel they are entitled to continue the fight in the Middle East. This false sense of PAtriotism has lead thousands to death overseas, and the American government continues to battle a war that ultimately no one will ever win. It is under sad circumstances that this even started in the first place, but to this day, I continue to witness the destruction that it has contributed to on the home front here in Arizona, but also the division that it has brought between supporter and non supporters of the war, in addition to Republicans and Democrats.
When considering this egotism on a smaller, more social and interactive scale, we are driven by what we can obtain. Our motivations are based on the opportunity to win, and our ultimate desire to be the best. Americans, ore than any other nation in the entire world, have been conditioned at birth to think this way. This is part of the American way, and the American dream. I understand that I may be coming across as someone who doesn't know what they are talking about, but this post is something that is very close to me. I am motivated by American politics, and the international relationships that accompany those political relations. As a societal whole, we are always considering the best outcome possible and what we have to do to obtain a certain lifestyle of way of life. This may mean stealing, this may mean killing someone, or this may mean just working harder than someone else. But aggressive and egotistical approaches by the members of the United States are unfortunately categorized by the rest of the world as 'American/ patriotic/ egotistical', approaches that aren't healthy. Not only do members of the international community see Americans as liars and cheats, they see them as people who 'assume' they deserve the best because they are Americans. They are 'entitled' to freedom, and they feel they have the 'right' to come in here and fix all our problems.
I agree that this has not been a very politically correct approach to this blog post, but I feel so passionate about this because this is what I want to do for the rest of my life. I am a Canadian Citizen, but I want to work for the American government and political system for the rest of my life (if of course my baseball career doesn't work out haha). But I want to help bring the United States back to the respectable nation it once was; the way it was back in the early 60's and 70's. I feel that this quote has not only shown true throughout history so far, but for Preserved Smith to have made this remark in the late 19th and early 20th century, I can only imagine what he might have thought about our current state today. Nations constantly at war, arguments, missile crisis, and the constant threat of a nuclear or terrorist attack throughout the world.
"No other factor in history", may ultimately lead to our eventual demise.
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