I dont know that Mr Coady does not love his country - he just think the way patriotism is being pumped up is bad - so do I

Now! How many "posters" took the "BAIT".

whats the bait sueb etc ... - ?thiss isust too hard suntimes u guys go on with so much crap

Patriotism: Mmmmm, just another one of these vague multifaceted terms, that means different things to different people, and which is easily manipulated by politicians.

Most people would consider those who buck the system and make lots of complaints to be non patriots.

Well, I think that in many cases they are the greatest patriots of all, because they are the thinking individuals who are willing to stand up and be counted. They are the ones most concerned about the ills of society and nation and wish to see them set right….. where as those that blithely roll with the flow are not necessarily being patriotic at all.

Surely patriotism in a democracy must include the right to freely express opinions contrary to the dominant paradigm or doctrine. But this is where patriotism is often seen to be violated.

So it’s a complex issue, and not one we should dwell on for too long.

Let’s just encourage everyone to support the notion of a united nation, and in so doing, exercise their freedom of speech openly, even if it means being highly critical of some of the fundamental policies of governance….and leave it at that.

Patriotism, not for those who represent wealth and power, but for the people, which unlike sheep don’t even need to be driven, but will gladly follow.

But surely the above must be a perfect society, like one to dream about.

How is it attained? Needs a bit of luck, with a leader conscious of what the average person wants, and playing the part, even if he or she can be a little racist.

Back to the luck which means happy consumers with cheap imported clothing as well as cheap imported small tools, as well as even cheap imported machine assemblies. Plus even more important, strong demand from formerly backward countries for underground compounds to structuralise and modernise even better eventually than the supplier

But wait a minute, for the lucky public, is this encouraging patriotism or just like over-feeding those sheep when there’s still feed in the paddock but not as nice as that back in the trough?

So patriotism must need a test, like someone going to attack one’s country. Surely today’s terrorism should be just fitting the bill.

But there can be a type of terrorism caused by us superior ones wanting and grabbing commodities and even running countries that belong to poorer peoples who being trodden on, have no means much to fight back but to give their lives like the terrorists.

So we are now given the real test. Could be like healthy sheep and cattle breaking out and grabbing feed that does not belong to them, but having the go-ahead to do what they are doing.

But with all our superior learning these days, and in a so-called globalised society, should we need such an outmoded thing as patriotism?

Just plain decency and common sense with everybody, would probably be better.

Thanks Tony - great article, which says much that needs to be said.

I've been concerned for some time about the resurgence of jingoistic ideas in some influential sectors of our society, and also by their ready adoption by a significant proportion of the hoi polloi.

Currently, I think that Bierce's correction of Johnson's observation aptly describes much of our mainstream commentary, much to our collective loss. Those who don't understand Johnson, or who have no knowledge of Bierce, are sadly disabled by their poor exposure to literature. Unfortunately, it seems that the 'new philistinism' is the flavour of the month.

Maybe that's why we get so much of it in this forum.