Are Americans educated to believe that theirs is the greatest country in the world?
By John Welford
@indexer (4852)
Leicester, England
October 5, 2020 6:51am CST
I am fully aware that there are huge differences in attitude as between Americans and Europeans when it comes to patriotism. As a Brit, I take the line that patriotism is something to be handled with great care and certainly not overdone. Being an internationalist is much to be preferred to being a nationalist, in my opinion.
However, the images I have seen of American schools, with flags in classrooms to which everyone pledges allegiance every morning, seem to suggest that Americans learn to be patriotic from a very early age.
Is this true? And is it something to be welcomed or concerned about?
7 people like this
6 responses
@BelleStarr (61463)
• United States
5 Oct 20
Yes it is. We are proud of our country. I think knowing that your country is special is important, we’re not perfect but we are still young.
2 people like this
@BelleStarr (61463)
• United States
6 Oct 20
I completely agree with his decision why should we be paying for an organization that supports China. We have our own CDC @indexer
@indexer (4852)
• Leicester, England
5 Oct 20
Interesting. That used to be the attitude in the UK, when we ruled a vast international empire, but we have grown out of that outdated idea and are - I reckon - much better for it.
The damage done by American pride is easy to see. Everyone knows that Covid 19 is an international crisis, but America's leaders prefer to think of it as an attack by China on the United States! What was Trump's first move? To withdraw from the World Health Organization that is at the heart of the international response!
Likewise, take climate change. This is an international issue if there ever was one. But what does the US do? Withdraw from the Paris Accords!
Is it any wonder that the US is held in such low esteem by the rest of the world!
2 people like this
@LadyDuck (502957)
• Italy
5 Oct 20
How funny you posted this 10 minutes after I commented to someone that Americans always say that their country is the greatest. I think that they learn in school to praise their country. I do not see a country greater than another right now, all countries have problems.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (86950)
• United States
5 Oct 20
I think a lot of the “patriotism” in the schools came from the Cold War and the “red menace” scares. What person doesn’t think their country is great? (Well, other than the “cancel” people in the US....) They used to say “the sun never sets on the British Empire.” And there’s the Canadian national anthem, which boasts, “True patriot love in all thy sons command.”
I can’t think of another country I’d want to live in. It may not be “the greatest,” but it’s certainly good enough for me!!!
@xFiacre (14814)
• Ireland
5 Oct 20
@indexer I find that attitude in schools quite repellant - idolatrous paranoia! When I sent my kids to school I wanted them to be taught the 3 Rs etc. And not much more. Teaching that your country is the greatest runs kind of counter to The notion that all men are born equal. There is just so much wrong about it. Having an internationalist approach is the way to go.
1 person likes this
@pjmurphy (2498)
• United States
5 Oct 20
No question about it, John. We are taught from an early age that the USA is, at the very least, one of the greatest countries in the world. On an intellectual level, I agree with you that internationalism is preferable to nationalism, but in my heart patriotism often rules.
BTW, I see this in spades when I visit your country. Wasn't that what much of the Brexit vote was about?
1 person likes this
@indexer (4852)
• Leicester, England
5 Oct 20
Yes - I agree with you re Brexit, but it has to be emphasised that the vote was by no means unanimous - 54% to 46% in favour of leaving the EU. I was on the losing side but still expect to be proved right in the end - in my view it was a huge mistake to make.
