How do you understand patriotism?
According to the latest event which was the National Independence Day I would like to
broach the topic of patriotism. Also because I think for many young people this term is very confusing and I would like to know your opinion about this.
wikipedia.org/wiki/Patriotyzm
The short definition in the Longman’s Dictionary of Contemporary English says, ‘patriotism is love to your country and willingness to defend it’.
And as you can see from the latest events, this definition is not the only one. It can have
many different meanings.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II#mediaviewer/File:Approaching_Omaha.jpg
For instance during the World War II the Germans were the bad ones. But we cannot say
that they weren’t patriots. They loved their country and nation and they were willing to fight
for it (of course I’m generalizing the situation).
wiadomosci24.pl/artykul/wyzwanie_tygodnia_udowodnij_ze_patriotyzm_jest_cool_249077.html
But now, our country doesn’t have any conflicts with neighbors and the term patriotism has, or I should say, should mean something different. For me, it always meant to remember the history, respect it, and even if something goes wrong in Poland to hope for the improvementand also to see how our country has changed, especially Warsaw, over the past 20 years. I honestly think it’s remarkable.
So, if we are at no war, than why do we have to have those outrageous things going on on the 11th of November. I seriously don’t understand it. Maybe some of you will be able to
make it more clear.
wyborcza.pl/1,75968,12807771,Antyfaszysci_o_11_listopada__Maszerujemy_nie_blokujemy.html
Summing up :
1. What is your definition of patriotism? How do you understand it?
2. What is going on the 11th of November in Warsaw? Why does it happen?
Year by year looks the same. I hardly can remember any feast without riots. The most amazes me why the city authorities allow to organize such marches. In advance we surely know that it will end in the same way as always. Regardless of the circumstances of each march or parade can not take place in the normal way.
ReplyDeletePersonally I was surprised by the presence of Germans. They accounted the majority of boycotting part. In the media has been said that this was a provocation of people who take the opportunity and joined the march just to be able to fight with the police and the "anti-fascists”.
For me, patriotism is not only respect for the history of the native people and society, but also ensuring that our country will develop. However many situations indicates that patriotism has different faces.
I define patriotism as love or devotion to my country. I respect my country and our national culture and I really admire all of my country's history. I don't understand what is happening with the 11th of November celebrations in Warsaw. Three or four years ago people celebrated this day with parades, festivals and music concerts. These days it seems that this special day isn't as much a source of happiness as it once was. Groups of people are going to Warsaw just to riot and fight with the police force. I also don't understand why something like "freedom march" is even organised. The riots started at the same time as the march tradition began a few years back. Two days ago, while I commuting to school by train, two boys were boasting about how they started fighting with others just for fun, during the march. One of them descibed how someone threw at some other person's head a stone and tear gas. The other boy seemed to have full of respect for his colleague and he expressed regret that he couldn't help his friend in making chaos.
ReplyDeleteI know that my opinion might be unpopular, but I don't understand patriotism. The place you come from shouldn't be a factor determining your value. For me, it really doesn't matter where you live - it's your character and your deeds that do.
ReplyDeleteThe National Independence Day only fixes my opinion on the subject. There are great people and fools in every country. I totally cannot understand how showing your intolerance and ignorance, burning and demolishing the city can prove anything but your stupidity.
Of course, I admire the courage of people fighting for the independence of a country... Yes, a country. Any country. I think Polish people defending Poland during various wars were as brave as any other nation protecting their place on Earth.
And, before anyone asks - I do care about my country's future, but I simply do not know if that can be called patriotism - I do because I care about my family, friends, relatives, and I do care for society in general. I really wish people would think less locally, more globally. It's not 'us' and 'they', it's the whole planet we should care for, because we all live here and we all are affected by the changes occuring here.
For me patriotism is not only a willingness to defend your country. I think nowadays it is more about supporting poles, their businesses, and making the country growing up.
ReplyDeleteThe examples could be choosing polish produced products in the shop, or being a part of voters, to care about it, not to be neutral.
There is also an aspect of our feelings. For example - I love Poland, I think this is really good place to live, I like it. I cannot imagine to feel so tame as I feel here, there is just a place I belong to.
For me, to be a patriot is to have respect for motherland and to feel attached to it.
ReplyDeleteNowadays, in 21st century, you no longer have to go to war for your country. We can show our patriotism by different means. Like Natalia said those are mostly of economic type.
As far as "marching" events are considered, none of the legitimate marches was intended to demolish the city. Every year there are groups of regular hooligans that try to mix in the crowd and start the riots – those are criminals and should be severely punished.
I'd like to go back to the subject of defending the country. The fact that we don't have foreign soldiers invading our country, doesn't mean that Poland is perfectly safe. These days, military invasions a extremely rare in this part of Europe (although they sometimes happen). The real multi-billion dollar war is fought in the field of economy and energy supplies every day, but regular citizens aren't even aware of this.
Patrycja:
ReplyDeleteI see your point and I think it's smart approach.
Natalia:
I absolutely agree with you, I also think that it's important to support local bussines.
s9397:
I think you brought up a very interesting topic of economical matters with witch I also agree.
Moreover about other comments, it's very pleasent to read that young people still have some quality values and have faith in Poland.
Patriotism is multilevel problem. Karolina, 11th of November looks the same year by year, but it's different what you can see in television. I took part in independence march this and last year. I care about my country, about history of Poland and i have to say that it's great feeling when almost 100 000 people are singing Anthem of Poland, or Rota.
ReplyDeleteThere are groups of hooligans, but they are not the part of our march. In TV you can see only them, because it's what average doe wants to see. Private television like TVN or Polsat they want money not the truth.
Join us next time and you'll see how great is this day:)
I agree with Jasiek. There is no connection between huge crowd of participants and the hooligans, which we're a minority that day.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, some media focused on them and their awful behavior.
Apart from this, the Independence Day gathered thousands of people. They decided spent that tuesday sharing enjoyment of celebration, not treat it as an another day off.
For me, patriotism is, like Natalia said, supporting our businesses. Another expression of patriotism is respect for our tradition and heroes.
The person I agree with the most is Patrycja. Patriotism is a dated concept, especially now, in the age when people are more connected than ever. We can travel anywhere we want with ease. We can also exchange ideas with people around the world in the matter of seconds. I believe we should focus on the progress of humanity rather than set up and fortify the borders that divide us. The next step is to become united as a whole, as a species. We're not separated anymore, at least not geographically. We need to work out our differences rather than be proud of how different we are from each other. We're not so very different. All sane people share similar interests and desires. Why don't we realize that and work together to achieve something bigger? I think we should feel proud when a human being does something like fly into space, invent something great, find out a cure or whatever than focus on where the person is from. I personally care more about doing those things then nationality. I was so excited about the probe landing on the comet last week and I only care that people were able to that such an amazing thing.
ReplyDeleteI think nationalism mentioned in the article is an idea that's getting less and less popular. It's going to take a couple of generations but I believe that in the end we will realize that it's not worth dwelling on some past achievements of people who happened to live in a similar geographical location. It's important to focus on global matters instead.
I don't want people to forget about the past, of course. It's still an invaluable source of information. History should be used make students understand that humanity is capable of both great achievements and horrible atrocities, and that we should learn from our mistakes.
1. For me patriotism is need to do something good for country to improve it.
ReplyDelete2. Why ? Maybe because that since around 1100 every country around us throw their two cents into our politics, administration, way of being. 11.11 is named "Independence day" but we are still under influence of other countries like Germany, Russia, USA we are dependence from them. Most of biggest TV, newspaper, media are owned by companies from different countries. By those media those country can divide our society into parts and by the way this is one of basic rule of taking over the country divine and rule. They can manipulate information and by this they can adjust people to think what they want them to think. Another reason might by that in our country isn't going very well politicians are spoiled and corrupted. They are wasting a lot of money from budged like for projects like "pendolino", "internet website for homeless" and many many others you can read more about wasting money here . Most of politicians are like parasite when they see that host isn't doing well they are looking for new one like Donald Tusk did.
This is my answer for this question and here you can watch Max Kolonko answer this question.
I see that Weronika moved on very hard topic. Firsty, I have rather unpopular views because I'm
ReplyDeletenationalist. Patriotism is hard to define but I agree with some of you that is remember the history
of your country, and make something in order to future will be better. We don't have any war and
now we should fight on economic or culture areas.For example if you have similar products take that
which is made in Poland. Unfortunately nobody said that the war wouldn't be for a month,
but it only example.
As regars "Independent March" nad demolishing the city... gyus, you shouldn't blame us, thousand
of people that 100-200 idiots make the riots with police. What's the most interesting is that
the riots start when the police appeared near tha stadium. In West Warsaw was calmly.
I see that @Jasiek Urbański and @Aneta Majerska were there and know the real view for situation.
So join us next year :)
Patriotism is a very important value today. Anti-polish government and mainstream media like TVN or Wyborcza create a image that patriotism is for crazy people who are fascists. This is very bad trand today, but happily more and more young people sees that sense of patriotism and love of homeland that is disrupted by our government.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI agree with many people who write before me. There is no relationship between patriotism and hooliganism.
ReplyDeleteThese are two different concepts. In my opinion, patriotism this is accepting the state as a whole. Patriotism this is passing values, remember the history our country.
There's no place for the destruction of cities.Nothing is perfect but we should show our belief in some other way.
Patriotism means for me to improve general wealth of people in my country. It makes you do things because of which you will be proud that you are from Poland. Unfortunately our politicians main concern is they own business and they do not care how others see our country.
ReplyDeleteI do not think that more than 5% people at Independence March are hooligans. I think most of them are provoked by someone from outside and the whole thing is controlled by authority.
I knew someone is going to go with this subject.
ReplyDeleteWhat is your definition of patriotism?
I don't really have one. I don't care where is someone from, what country you represent. It shouldn't be a defining factor in whether someone is ok or not.
How do you understand it?
I don't really.
What is going on the 11th of November in Warsaw?
Just some regular beat downs in the city center. Some think they're better than others. Then police comes. The police gets beat up, so more police comes. then the rainbow thing gets burned (again). Regular day.
Why does it happen?
Cause some people think that the world around them changes to much, and they're not prepared for that.
Patriotism, Hmm ... This is a very interesting topic. Personally, I think the pariotism is not just a love and respect for his country, but above all to all the fellow countrymen, because it is they who make up our country, nation, Poland. Recently I've watched the movie "City 44". I think it is a film that every Pole should see. When I watched the movie it freed all the patriotic emotions in me about which I did not have a clue before. Never experienced such thing, so I strongly encourage you to watch it.
ReplyDeleteIn contrast to what happened on November 11th I can not really judge because I did not follow it too closely.
Paulina, you expressed my approach even better than I did :) That's exactly why I don't understand patriotism - people from different countries should unite, not divide (and the geographical boundaries are something really strange for me - why should I sympathise with someone living 200km to the west from me and hate someone living 200km to the east? I simply don't understand that).
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeletePersonally, patriotism is love for my country, being proud of mine origin and doing anything to improve my country.
ReplyDeleteReffering to "Independent March" in commercial media we have seen mostly the hooligans and their fight with police. It is insignificant number of people who took part in the march and such situations are not only in our country. Definitely I do not approve of such behavior, however, maybe a bad political situation forces them to show their dissatisfaction and "Independent March" is a guarantee that the whole nation will see what they do.
Regarding the subject of patriotism, I agree with the statements of my colleagues, Jasiek Urbanski and Adam Kaliński. From myself I would add only one thing – if we really love our country, we should stay here and work. Because now a lot of young people decide on emigration seeking for a job, but the matter of money should not be the only priority.
ReplyDeleteOn the 11th of November, as each year, I attended the Independence Day march in Warsaw. It is really a splendid event, in which participate more than 100,000 people. Unfortunately the TV shows only hooligans who take part in the march, but in fact there is less than 1% of them. In my opinion, the TV should focus better on the transmission of positive happenings during the march, because there were lot of them, really.
I definitely agree with you Darek, that TV should focus more on positive side.
ReplyDeleteI wanted to thank you all for your comments and discussion. It was very interesting and enlighting. I also kind of feel like I know you a little better.