Nationalism, yeah, that fever that flies its flag high. But here’s the funny bit: nations are the new kid on the block, only a few centuries young. Back in the day, it was all empires and kingdoms, borders a blur, people bound to kings and popes more than any map. But then, over time, ideas started flippin’. Enter “the nation,” that unified crew, forged by myth and flag, a posse defined by [[Boundaries]] they’re told to defend. But before Nationalism rolled in with its swagger, there was Liberalism—a real golden oldie. Ideas of freedom, rights, a bit of equality, even—stuff that outdates this loyalty-laced love of soil. Liberalism’s about people; Nationalism, about place, and the lines get drawn hard, underlined in ink the colour of pride and prejudice. And it’s all in the mind, isn’t it? A mix of identity, a dash of [[Psychology]], the need for belonging gone large-scale, looking for “us” and “them.” There’s power in that, the thrill of the collective—bonds of the brain linked by [[Language]], lore, even anthems that seem to roar, telling folks who they are and who they’re not. --- The rise of the far right - immigration is the reason they feel emboldened, yet no one is stopping it because Europe are an aging population and need emigration! - It’s scary how normalised it’s become for the far right. - Corrupt people still in power: 1. David Cameron - Panama papers 2. Michelle Moa - stilling gov money? 3. Piers Morgan - phone hacking To illustrate how insignificant national pride might appear from a universal perspective, one could use several analogies to highlight the [[Arbitrary]] nature of geographical or cultural identity when viewed through a lens of randomness or chance: 1. Lottery Analogy: Imagine being randomly assigned a number in a lottery—no effort or merit goes into receiving that number, it’s purely luck. Being proud of one’s nationality is like taking immense pride in having been assigned a particular lottery number. From the perspective of the universe, where every number was randomly assigned, taking excessive pride in it seems [[Arbitrary]] and baseless. 2. Roll of the Dice: Imagine life as a game where, before birth, dice are rolled to determine where you’ll be born, which [[Culture]] you’ll belong to, and what [[Language]] you’ll speak. The result is completely out of your control, a product of chance. Taking pride in the outcome of that dice roll—your nationality—is like being proud that the dice landed on a six, when it could just as easily have landed on a two or three. 3. Random Assignment in a Classroom: Imagine a teacher randomly assigning students to different seats in a classroom. One group ends up near the window, the other by the door. To feel superior because you were assigned a window seat is irrational, as the placement was based entirely on random assignment. In the same way, being proud of one’s nationality, which is simply the result of where you were born, seems trivial from a cosmic perspective. 4. Ants on a Rock: Picture ants on a large rock, each group of ants inhabiting different spots of the rock. Some ants live near the edge, others near the center. Now imagine these ants feel superior based on their location on the rock. When viewed from above, it’s clear they’re all just ants on the same rock, and any pride in their specific location seems absurd. Similarly, from a universal perspective, national pride may appear equally insignificant since all humans share the same planet in the vastness of the universe. 5. Game of Cards: Life can be compared to a game of cards where you’re dealt a hand based on chance. Your nationality is simply one of the cards you were given at birth, beyond your control. Feeling overly proud of that card is like boasting about a card you didn’t choose and had no influence over. These analogies emphasize how [[Arbitrary]] national identity is when seen as a product of chance and environment, especially when viewed in the context of the vast, indifferent universe.