With a topic as nebulous as patriotism, starting with the premise "we're doing it wrong" seems pretty meaningless and clickbait-y. A more useful approach might be to ask: how are our enemies deploying patriotism, and which of their moves can we either co-opt or mercilessly ridicule?
The right saying only their way of being patriotic is valid is no different than them saying that Christian nationalism, a la Hegseth and Doug Wilson, is the only version of Christianity that is valid. They want such a small world. I'm not familiar with Demsas, but from the very few episodes of Pod Save America I've seen, Favreau seems mostly in love with his own voice and supposed cleverness. I'm not about to take advice about patriotism from him.
The reactionary moderates buy into the right wing’s unserious claim that one’s patriotism is expressed primarily through symbols. If I have two American flags mounted in my truck bed, I must be more patriotic than my neighbor who only has one. Yes, it’s that dopey.
The fact is that those who march for justice and democracy are infinitely more patriotic than those who assemble only to strip others of their rights. The fact that we carry flags as we do so has no bearing on our degree of patriotism. We love the idealism of America, and they believe only in exploiting and distorting that ideal for their self-serving ends.
The problem with Patriotism is that it's just as infantile and vapid as nationalism. In fact, patriotism really just seems to be what happens when nationalism goes into remission.
Unfortunately this country has such a fucking cultlike devotion to itself patriotism isn't going anywhere anytime soon, but I still think its an important point to make that patriotism isn't a good thing. At best it's something you need to grow up and move out of like the cringey shit you said and believed in junior high.
At worst (and more typically, if the past several decades are any indication) patriotism is just slightly more polite nationalism.
If you learn about this country's history and don't come out fucking disgusted, you either didn't learn it's actual history or you're some variant of sociopath.
With a topic as nebulous as patriotism, starting with the premise "we're doing it wrong" seems pretty meaningless and clickbait-y. A more useful approach might be to ask: how are our enemies deploying patriotism, and which of their moves can we either co-opt or mercilessly ridicule?
The right saying only their way of being patriotic is valid is no different than them saying that Christian nationalism, a la Hegseth and Doug Wilson, is the only version of Christianity that is valid. They want such a small world. I'm not familiar with Demsas, but from the very few episodes of Pod Save America I've seen, Favreau seems mostly in love with his own voice and supposed cleverness. I'm not about to take advice about patriotism from him.
The reactionary moderates buy into the right wing’s unserious claim that one’s patriotism is expressed primarily through symbols. If I have two American flags mounted in my truck bed, I must be more patriotic than my neighbor who only has one. Yes, it’s that dopey.
The fact is that those who march for justice and democracy are infinitely more patriotic than those who assemble only to strip others of their rights. The fact that we carry flags as we do so has no bearing on our degree of patriotism. We love the idealism of America, and they believe only in exploiting and distorting that ideal for their self-serving ends.
The problem with Patriotism is that it's just as infantile and vapid as nationalism. In fact, patriotism really just seems to be what happens when nationalism goes into remission.
Unfortunately this country has such a fucking cultlike devotion to itself patriotism isn't going anywhere anytime soon, but I still think its an important point to make that patriotism isn't a good thing. At best it's something you need to grow up and move out of like the cringey shit you said and believed in junior high.
At worst (and more typically, if the past several decades are any indication) patriotism is just slightly more polite nationalism.
If you learn about this country's history and don't come out fucking disgusted, you either didn't learn it's actual history or you're some variant of sociopath.
It's all of our's country. Going to a rally where only USA flags and no posters will be held. Fly the flag!