i think most us know what Australia Day should be about & we also know what it isn't !

Are Australians actually patriotic enough for this day ? By the the way they oppose national Service & general responsibility & respect it looks as though they aren't !

Dear Individual,

But why, pray, ought anyone to be patriotic?

Yuyutsu,
Forgive me but your query puzzles me to no end. Don't you think that Patriotism is akin to family values ? Work together for the benefit of the common good. Are you confusing Patriotism with something political ? Aren't you rather patriotic towards your faith ?
Without some patriotism we'll become just another Europe ! Disconnectedness is not a basis for a nation, it's fertile ground for mayhem ! Remember a Nation called Great Britain ? The remnants of Britons have revitalised Patriotism & are on a path of repairing their Nation !
Australia needs that mentality too !

Dear Individual,

Why one ought to be good to others, is clear with solid religious, philosophical and metaphysical foundations. I believe that there is no need for us to elabourate on this.

Now the idea behind patriotism is that there exists some exclusive group to which one belongs and is "good" to favour at the expense of others.

This idea is no longer supported by solid religious, philosophical or metaphysical foundations. Rather, the basis for this attitude is emotional, biological, social and benefit-driven.

Now I am not denying that practically all of us are infected by patriotism of one kind or another, but the question is whether this is good, whether we OUGHT to have it.

It could be argued that patriotism is OK as an intermediate measure: "For now I am unable to love, respect and be good to everyone, so let me at least love and support one other person of my choice, then two then maybe 10 or 100, as my love keeps growing".

The thing is, love is a personal choice, it cannot be forced, it cannot be expected from others. Telling others whom they should love is NOT an act of love and kindness: ideally they ought to love everyone, but let everyone get there at their own pace, in their own good time.

Forcing "love", of family or country, has been the source of conflicts and wars. The worst expression of it, is to pick two innocent youths, whose only "crime" is to reach the age of 18 (in some cases even less) in relative health, then give them weapons and force each of them to try to make the other's mother childless. Those who refuse are punished (Saddam Hussein used to cut off their ear).

Disconnectedness is certainly better than an artificially forced and false "connectedness", such as in "nation" or in unhealthy families.

Yuyutsu,
you simply don't want to understand or don't have the mentality to understand. Being patriotic doesn't entail to dismiss all others. It means to support those who support you. You simply can't do any more than that ! To my way of thinking it amounts to working in with others not against them. The National Service idea is to enlighten young people on their way to adulthood, not as many see it, to deny them a couple of years of running uncontrolled for the rest of us to pick up the bill. If they have the Right to be indisciplined & disrespectful than we should have the Right to stipulate where our tax Dollars are spent ! I certainly don't want my taxes wasted on drug abusers & criminals ! I want my tax Dollars to go to infrastructure development & job creation !
A National Service would create a mindset of care instead of the carelessness we experience now !