Nationalism and the Critical Weakness of Man

On page 250, Todorov writes: "'The man who finds his country sweet is only a raw beginner; the man for whom each country is as his own is already strong; but only the man for whom the whole world is as a foreign country is perfect.'" Is he right?

Absolutely. It’s music to my ears.

This quote sums up a large part of my personal ideology. As I alluded to in a previous post, I have always taken steps to avoid identifying myself with any particular nation, and, I should add, any group or movement. To do so, I believe, would be tantamount to conceding one’s powers of observation and reasoning to a third party. As I see it, this leaves my options open; I am free to follow whatever course of action I deem most beneficial at the time. I won’t have to defend it from critics by framing it in a larger ideological context, nor can I be charged with hypocrisy. I also won’t be called on to defend ideals that aren’t mine, which is the persistent snare of nationalism.

Outside of an ideological context, the same holds true for human nationalist tendencies. Nationalism is nothing more than an evolved form of baseless sectarianism, fomented entirely by one’s circumstances of birth. It is a hollow ideology that somehow motivates men to give absolutely everything to further the will of their nation. I suppose this urge is rooted in the evolutionary clan-based defense mechanism, whereby humans instinctively felt the need to defend their property from outsiders simply because it was their property and livelihood. However, in today’s age of wealth and global interdependence, this need is not necessary for the immediate survival of the individual, though it does still exist as a collective. What should be said is that our relative prosperity and collective security is gained on the backs of these people, but the ideology that drives them is unnecessary for the individual and ultimately self-destructive.

This is exactly why I keep this knowledge from the plebeians.

We can’t all be perfect, of course. I’ll gladly admit that the relative safety and ease of my life has been borne of the sacrifice of many individuals towards their nation. But these are sacrifices that I myself would not make. I applaud the selflessness of those who came before me, and, to be honest, I’m entertained by the number of people who have purported and continue to purport their own nationalist identity. It’s fun to watch them bump heads, and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t view myself as superior because I reject such notions. I am motivated entirely by self-interest, and in shedding my sectarian and ideological constraints, I am free to pursue my own satisfaction. While I may from time to time lend my services to a nation or a cause, my allegiance will always be to myself.