Patriotism…

The word Patriotism has always drawn my attention and interests me. First of all what is the meaning of the word Patriotism ??

a popular web dictionary described it as below :

pa·tri·ot·ism
   [pey-tree-uh-tiz-uhm or, especially Brit., pa-]
–noun
devoted love, support, and defense of one's country; national loyalty.

Well first of all, why should one love the country ?? well there are people who say that because it has given us the home and the place to live in. In that case, I feel to be very exact that it is being selfish. And if we have to be selfish then I say love your family and then your hometown and then your state and then finally the country because the order I mentioned is more relevant.

So if we can agree on this point, then there is no point in punishing people who act against the integrity of a country for the wellness of his family, hometown and state in the mentioned order.

Now if we don’t agree to being selfish and we have to be loving people around us, then I feel the concept and Idea of global citizenship should be taught, inculcated and encouraged. Treat people from all around the world, across different nations and places in the same manner we are expected to treat people from the so called fellow country men.

In that case there is no point in having passports, visas and permissions to settle in different parts of the world. The rigorous checks, the anti smuggling laws and such other laws can be thrashed.

After thinking for a while, I personally feel that the concept of country and patriotism is just inculcated from ages to divide people and retain the power in the hands of the selfish rulers and politicians.

Thinking in a bigger plane, it has always been a habit of the human race to move on and settle down in places which offer better living – around water bodies and fertile lands during the prehistoric ages till the 15th and 16th centuries (approximately) and then areas with better industrialization and resources during the 17th and 18th centuries.

I strongly feel that the people who are most benefitted by Independent India are the politicians and above all, the buggers from the family who are indirectly running an Aristocratic form of government from the day India has attained it’s Independence. There used to be a free flow of people in and out of the country when India was a British colony. So what is that we gained by attaining Independence?? It is undoubtedly the chance to loot the powerless people and the resources of the country. I feel India is never – atleast no more a Democratic nation. In fact it is Tyrant form of government following an Aristocracy with a mixture of Kleptocracy, Plutocracy and Oligarchy claiming to be a Democracy. Weird huh??? but TRUE.

Now why is the sudden alertness and strict rules trying to confine people to places where they are born ? isn’t it restricting people of their basic right ?? – the right to live and the right to freedom??

I highly appreciate the European Union in this regard. They atleast allow their people to roam around different countries within the union and settle down where they wanted to without restricting them and providing them with equal opportunities to live.

Want, wish and pray one day the concept of global citizenship comes into practice. But may be by then, I think neither you nor I and also none of us living now will be alive to see the comforts and opportunities it could offer.