Why Nationalism?

[Catta]

Irrelevant claim is irrelevant. Nations with power will attempt to use it to control others. These nations could be big, they could be small. The only reason Greenland doesn't do it is because they have no power.

England did it, Denmark did it, Sweden did it, Prussia, Russia, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, China, Japan, the USA. They've all done it, they all do it.

Canada? Australia?

[Sunseeker]

Canada? Australia?

What did I just say about nations with no power?

[Handan]

Human psychologically at most can handle up to 150 friendships at a time before they are unable to empathize with other individuals. The same study reveals that it is impossible to empathize with more than three cultural identities at any given time. National boarders ensure a united front within the territorial boarders that on balance, generally does a better job at upholding the rights of its people.

I think the most potent poof of this is Sub-saharan Africa, where sometimes dozens of ethnic and cultural groups were put under one government due to irresponsible boarder drawing by the major powers. This forced unity eventually led to genocides, civil war, and less respect for cultural diversity. The ability to lump all different cultures than your own as 'the other' allows us to actually treat other cultures fairly as we apply an objective understanding that their group has meaning, while still being able to isolate several to vehemently disagree with or love. Think about the world for a minute, no matter how socially connected one is, I bet you don't hold opinions on over 90% of the worlds cultural, national, or ethnic communities; however, I bet you have strong feelings for about three on each side.

[Catta]

What did I just say about nations with no power?

Im pretty sure they have power but dont use it >_>

[Catta]

i think its fun when other people burn a danish flag - i feel nothing for the piece of cloth, nothing for the symbol they think they are burning

I like the flag, i think its nice and its used at festivities... A guy can stab a kindergarden with the flag on a spear and ill still stand beside him with my own flag waving it saying its mah birthday

I hear americans has to send their flags to a funeral if it touches the ground - is that true?

[Sunseeker]

I hear americans has to send their flags to a funeral if it touches the ground - is that true?

It's tradition that if your flag falls to the ground, it is given a funeral of sorts. Few people actually do this.

---------- Post added 2011-02-01 at 03:24 PM ----------

Im pretty sure they have power but dont use it >_>

I'm pretty sure they don't. And if they tried they'd get shut down in a heartbeat.

[Catta]

You would "shut down" australia and canada... yea good luck with that

[Kalyyn]

Im pretty sure they have power but dont use it >_>

Canada has no power, aside from what America provides them. Australia isn't exactly a major industrial power, either.

---------- Post added 2011-02-01 at 11:31 PM ----------

You would "shut down" australia and canada... yea good luck with that

Both those countries have almost no militaries... they'd be conquered in a weekend if they weren't protected by NATO.

[Shakari]

Patriotism is thinking your country is great because you were born in it

I know mine is... its the only country with the word "Great" before it :P Great Britain but seriously there is no problem with being proud of
your country I know I am for all its faults and pathetic goverments over the past 10 years lol

[Kalyyn]

I know mine is... its the only country with the word "Great" before it :P Great Britain but seriously there is no problem with being proud of
your country I know I am for all its faults and pathetic goverments over the past 10 years lol

From a British perspective, I understand why you didn't like Tony Blair. But as an American, I think that guy was pretty awesome.

[xylophone]

What did I just say about nations with no power?

ZING ten characters

[kailtas]

Canada has no power, aside from what America provides them. Australia isn't exactly a major industrial power, either.

---------- Post added 2011-02-01 at 11:31 PM ----------


Both those countries have almost no militaries... they'd be conquered in a weekend if they weren't protected by NATO.

Invading Canada and/or Australia would kill your already kneeling economy.

Also, Canada dont need a big army. Their position in the world is defense enough (just like Norway).

[Kalyyn]

Invading Canada and/or Australia would kill your already kneeling economy.

Also, Canada dont need a big army. Their position in the world is defense enough (just like Norway).

A big army, maybe not. But you can't defend a country with no army whatsoever. Which is roughly what Canada has. And Canadians don't own guns, so they couldn't even produce insurgents. Trust me, that war would last 2-3 days.

[Deleted]

Humans as a species haven't been forced to develop the mindset that would be needed for a global government. As a race, we have no purpose except just existing.

[Sableye]

Because if we were like the federation of planets in star trek, fasion would be destroyed and san fransisco would be the most important city on the planet
Global goverments wont be needed untill we get to a larger scale ie space

[haxartus]

But you can't defend a country with no army whatsoever.

They don't need to. NATO is quite powerful.

[DaruneAlbane]

Anyway, if you wanna look at the negative impact of privatised health care, just look at the US. Sure, more job opportunities are opening up if you privatize it, but privatization inevitably leads to competition, (because a company thrives on making profit, not on making people healthier) which leads to people with pre existing conditions getting their health care declined because the company is too afraid of losing money to people that are guaranteed to need more medical care then healthy people.
Result is that the people who need it the most, don't get health care, which kinda defeats the purpose.

and the overall lowering of care is not because the government is telling the company's they need to cover more and more and more and more and more and more services that insurance has no business being in. IMO insurance is for big things not to pay for your local office visit for your sniffles .. so costs go up for the insurance company so they raise rates .. people bitch .. so then they find ways to keep the profit margin while keeping the costs low

[Kalyyn]

They don't need to. NATO is quite powerful.

Only because America is in it. And the other power-houses in NATO are much more likely to side with America, because we're their best friend.

[haxartus]

Only because America is in it. And the other power-houses in NATO are much more likely to side with America, because we're their best friend.

You don't really know anything about politics, don't you ?
No one is going to attack a member of the alliance.

[Catta]

A big army, maybe not. But you can't defend a country with no army whatsoever. Which is roughly what Canada has. And Canadians don't own guns, so they couldn't even produce insurgents. Trust me, that war would last 2-3 days.

im pretty sure the average canadian has more guns than the average american... was discussed in another thread

---------- Post added 2011-02-02 at 01:20 AM ----------

Only because America is in it. And the other power-houses in NATO are much more likely to side with America, because we're their best friend.

in a scenario where the US invades Canada dont be sure of anything... now this scenario is gettin stupider by the minute