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Should you be proud of your nationality ?

  • 12-09-2013 2:21pm
    #1
    Registered Users Posts: 20,456 ✭✭✭✭yourdeadwright


    Simply question do you think you should be proud of you nationality ?
    I ask because my veiw is you have no say in where you are born so why should you be proud of it ? everyone has to be born somewhere,
    I don't mind being Irish but im not proud of it as i didn't do anything to become Irish ,
    What do you people think ?
    Should you be PROUD of your Nationality ?


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Comments

  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,844 ✭✭✭Banjoxed


    Simply question do you think you should be proud of you nationality ?
    I ask because my veiw is you have no say in where you are born so why should you be proud of it ? everyone has to be born somewhere,
    I don't mind being Irish but im not proud of it as i didn't do anything to become Irish ,
    What do you people think ?
    Should you be PROUD of your Nationality ?

    Proud, yes. Be a wanker about it? Definitely not.


  • Registered Users Posts: 28,789 ✭✭✭✭ScumLord


    I don't know, If I lived in a place like London or New York I think it would be easier to say I'm proud to be from those great cities.

    I think pride is probably the wrong word to use when you're describing your attachment to the place you live.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 7,689 ✭✭✭Karl Stein


    Nationalism is a belief, creed or political ideology that involves an individual identifying with his or her nation.

    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nationalism

    The vast majority of people are nationalist by default under the above criteria.


  • Registered Users Posts: 7,008 ✭✭✭uch


    Yep

    21/25



  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,652 ✭✭✭I am pie


    Not proud no, pride is a negative emotion in too many cases and leads nowhere good. Content, yes.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,339 ✭✭✭Artful_Badger


    You can be proud of a team or achievements or something related to your nationality but I dont get the whole "I'm proud to be Irish" thing. What is there to be proud of in the fact you just happen to be Irish ?


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,122 ✭✭✭BeerWolf


    Should you?

    If you want to.

    Am I?

    Meh


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,370 ✭✭✭Knasher


    I'm not proud of my nationality. But despite all of the problems in this country, I do really love living here. And I think if I were to try and express why, it would sound a lot like pride.


  • Registered Users Posts: 20,395 ✭✭✭✭kneemos


    I think we go way too far with it and are desperate for a bit of glory.
    If an athlete wins a medal for example they seem to almost take second place to the headlines "Ireland wins Gold"or "Ireland in with a medal chance."


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,660 ✭✭✭COYVB


    IMO I don't really see the point. Keep your pride for the accomplishments of yourself, family and friends. You've got no say in where you're born, so pride in it has always seemed really strange to me. If you're talking about pride in your town or something, I can see how that would work, particularly if you're an active member of the community and have worked towards a collective goal for the town... something like winning the Tidy Towns, cleaning up a dirty area, or fund raising for new amenities for the area. That'd be something you've played a part in accomplishing, so you'd be entitled to feel proud


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 12,456 ✭✭✭✭Mr Benevolent


    Proud? No, I had no choice about being born on this little island.


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,193 ✭✭✭bullpost


    I think when people say they are proud to be from somewhere, what they probably really mean is they are not ashamed to be from that place.


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 9,441 ✭✭✭old hippy


    I'm happy to be Irish and happy to live in London. I don't really do the whole pride thing and it does lead to bemusement on my part when I see the uberpatriots getting all hot under their collars about nationality.

    That applies to the uberpats of any country, btw.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,660 ✭✭✭COYVB


    bullpost wrote: »
    I think when people say they are proud to be from somewhere, what they probably really mean is they are not ashamed to be from that place.

    Similarly though, being ashamed to be from somewhere is a bit strange. It's not like you have any say or influence on it


  • Registered Users Posts: 11,812 ✭✭✭✭sbsquarepants


    Simply question do you think you should be proud of you nationality ?

    If you chose it, then feel free to be as proud as you like. If not then you may as well say you're proud of your foot size, or hair colour, cos it's the exact same thing.




  • Definitely, we are one of the best nations on the planet. We are loved and respected the world over and punch well above our weight in politics, business and scientific achievements. We have some of the most beautiful scenery the eye can see and you wont find better craic or atmosphere on a night out anywhere else.

    Why wouldn't I be proud!


  • Registered Users Posts: 499 ✭✭greenflash


    I can only be proud of things that I am responsible for. If an Irish athlete does well against international competition, I am pleased for them coming from a small country with limited facilities but it does not make me proud to be Irish. Nothing could make me proud to be Irish, nationality just isn't important.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,753 ✭✭✭Vito Corleone


    No. I am not proud of things I didn't achieve.


  • Registered Users Posts: 28,789 ✭✭✭✭ScumLord


    old hippy wrote: »
    I'm happy to be Irish and happy to live in London.
    I can imagine though that when people start gushing over London's world class transport system or it's incredible buildings and history that you would get a sense of pride listening to people go on about how great a city it is.


  • Registered Users Posts: 20,171 ✭✭✭✭jimgoose


    ...We are loved and respected the world over and punch well above our weight in politics, business and scientific achievements...

    That phrase annoys me so bloody much when applied to Ireland. Brendan Behan had the right of it when he pointed out that the Irish are a very popular race... with themselves.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,660 ✭✭✭COYVB


    Definitely, we are one of the best nations on the planet. We are loved and respected the world over and punch well above our weight in politics, business and scientific achievements. We have some of the most beautiful scenery the eye can see and you wont find better craic or atmosphere on a night out anywhere else.

    Why wouldn't I be proud!

    Because you've likely played no part in any of the things you've mentioned? Should someone from Dublin be proud of the achievements of someone from Caernarfon, for example, given that it's closer than Galway?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 954 ✭✭✭lahalane


    I'm not proud of any of my geographical 'accomplisments'. It's all a bit tribal in my opinion.


  • Registered Users Posts: 11,812 ✭✭✭✭sbsquarepants


    greenflash wrote: »
    I can only be proud of things that I am responsible for. If an Irish athlete does well against international competition, I am pleased for them coming from a small country with limited facilities but it does not make me proud to be Irish. Nothing could make me proud to be Irish, nationality just isn't important.

    I disagree. I'm happy to be Irish - when I look around the world and what goes on it, I feel absolutely blessed to have been born here. But pride is different, it implies involvement in achieving something, somehow.
    You wouldn't say you were proud you won the lottery - lucky, happy, ecstatic even, but not proud. Same with being Irish, i'm glad I am, but not proud.


  • Registered Users Posts: 14,681 ✭✭✭✭P_1


    I was born on this rock. Am I happy to have been born on it? Yes I suppose so, there are worse places on the planet to be born. Am I proud of this arbitrary fact? Not really to be honest, it's not something that I achieved by myself so really why should I?


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 9,441 ✭✭✭old hippy


    ScumLord wrote: »
    I can imagine though that when people start gushing over London's world class transport system or it's incredible buildings and history that you would get a sense of pride listening to people go on about how great a city it is.

    Ok, I'll admit to having a certain... satisfaction when London hosted the Olympics last summer :D


  • Registered Users Posts: 499 ✭✭greenflash


    I disagree. I'm happy to be Irish - when I look around the world and what goes on it, I feel absolutely blessed to have been born here. But pride is different, it implies involvement in achieving something, somehow.
    You wouldn't say you were proud you won the lottery - lucky, happy, ecstatic even, but not proud. Same with being Irish, i'm glad I am, but not proud.

    So you do agree after all.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 245 ✭✭Hedgemeister


    There was a time when I was (maybe a little) proud to be Irish, that was until grew up and began to travel.
    We are not as well loved in the wide world as some of us imagine.
    As far as respect goes, the only Irish 'group' I know of that are respected / admired world-wide, are our UN Peacekeepers (except at home) & I am proud that I was more than once counted among them.
    'Punching above our weight in World affairs, Politics'...dream on.

    Our fine buildings, Bridges, Canals system, Railways, Power Stations, Legal System, I could go on and on...all built by foreigners.
    Our Olympic athletes did well, and more luck to them, but why should I personally feel proud at their personal achievements.
    Our greatest writers, Poets, Actors, Comedians, etc with just a few exceptions, first had to 'make it' abroad before being recognised in Ireland.
    I would have to say no to the OP.
    I am not 'proud' to be Irish.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 7,473 ✭✭✭Wacker The Attacker


    non nyrnand


  • Registered Users Posts: 269 ✭✭bellinter


    I saw a facebook post the other day talking about the hurling final...

    "What a game. Makes you even prouder to be Irish."

    Couldnt make any sense of this myself. He was already proud of something that he made no contribution towards. Now another event that happened that he has absolutely no bearing on added to this pride?

    Just don't understand it. Maybe it's one of those things though that's just said so often that people continue saying it without any thought. Happy might be a better word, though content probably the most appropriate.

    The very definition of pride though in this context seems to be wide-ranging. It seems that it can mean anything from showing your American friend the Cliffs of Moher and hearing him say "weill aint that swell", to insisting that you hate the queen.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 20,171 ✭✭✭✭jimgoose


    bellinter wrote: »
    ...showing your American friend the Cliffs of Moher and hearing him say "weill aint that swell"...

    Contrary to popular belief, Americans do not say "Ain't that swell!" outside of cheesy '50s films! :D


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