Am I A Hypocrite?
I try to live my life without contradictions, and when I find a contradiction I try to figure out what I’m missing. Until I get to the bottom of it, I beat myself up over why I can’t solve it.
Before reading Atlas Shrugged, I already agreed with most of the concepts in the book. I remember one part that read:
Contradictions do not exist. Whenever you think you are facing a contradiction, check your premises. You will find that one of them is wrong.
That quote leads into what happened last weekend. We were at the Arizona Cardinal’s football game. Before the game started, the national anthem was playing. Looking around, everyone was standing, people had taken their hats off, many had their hands on their heart, and some were singing along.
So many thoughts went through my head: What’s the point of this? What does this represent? Am I witnessing people uniting as one? Does this mean anything to them? Are people celebrating being born within the same imaginary and arbitrary boundary? Are they aware of the horrific actions taken under the guise of that flag? Are they only standing because everyone around them is doing so, and they’ll be judged if they don’t comply?
It got me thinking: I find this concept of nationalism strange. But here I am in a Cardinals jersey. Why am I cheering for the Cardinals and not the Buccaneers? Why do I even have “my team?” Is it because I live in Arizona? If I do like them because I’m residing in Arizona, does it make me a hypocrite to like a team for that reason, when at the same time I disavow nationalism? I don’t know the answer to these questions, and I’m hoping to get closer to or find the answers as I write this.
What am I missing? Do I like the Arizona Cardinals because I live in Arizona?
Over the years I have seen them bring joy to many people around me. Maybe they’re “my team” because I associate them with positive feelings. Perhaps living in Arizona isn’t the reason why I like them, but it could be an indirect cause. If it is indeed indirect, I don’t think that it’s hypocritical.
Do I like them because I frequently see Cardinals gear? Scientists have done studies showing the more you see someone, the more attractive they become to you. Does this same concept apply to a football team? I have lived in Arizona for about a decade and have grown to like the Cardinals a bit more each year, so maybe that’s the reason.
There is a clear difference between a country and a football team. Maybe the differences make my earlier question ”Am I a hypocrite?” invalid?
Both a football team and a country can create positive and negative emotions in one’s mind. When deciding whether or not to like someone or something, one weighs the positive emotions against the negative emotions. If the positive feelings outweigh the negatives, it stands to reason you will have a favorable opinion about that thing and vice versa.
After writing this and thinking it through a little, I don’t think liking a football team while disavowing nationalism is necessarily hypocritical. If I were a fan of a football team for the sole reason of living where that football team is located, then I think that would be hypocritical.
However, I’ve come to realize that I believe I am an Arizona Cardinals fan because they bring value to my life. They produce a significant number of positive feelings and very few negative feelings.
My mind went many different directions while writing this post, so it probably isn’t as well laid out as my other posts. Please excuse that. This blog post was more of an exercise in free writing; I sat down and wrote what came to mind. A lot of questions were asked, and few answers were provided; you've seen my thought process at work.
Please let me know what you think of the ideas I laid out. Do you think any of my arguments are invalid? I haven’t put a lot of thought into these questions, so it’s likely you’ll discover holes in my arguments.
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I've often wondered the same thing about fandom, and how much it might be a reflection of citizenship. And I wonder how much scale has to do with it? Is it less arbitrary to identify with your hometown than to identify with your home country? I really haven't come to any definite conclusions on that.
I haven't come to any definite conclusions either and think it will vary from person to person.
I can get behind supporting one's community and the people in it much more than I support nationalism. In many localities, people more likely hold similar values and have much in common with their neighbors. Compare that with people across an entire 3,000 mile-wide country. Here you'll see enormous differences in culture and values.
I grew up watching & supported the pistons basketball team in my area, but my favourite team was Utah jazz when they had Malone. I got laughed at a lot but I always asked people, do you only like your team cause your from that city. It's great when you think outside the box, all of your arguments are valid.
That's a question I've asked before as well - most often to "fair-weather" fans.
I grew up watching a lot of hockey and for the longest time didn't have a favorite team. I had favorite players, but those had nothing to do with where they were from or the color of their jersey. I liked them because of the way they played and watched hockey because I enjoyed the sport.
I don't care for sports but I very much care for what this country claims to represent. If I find someone openly disrespecting this country (standing on the flag etc) I will take note, and take steps. The steps might not be overt...I might just make them famous (post video various places, post name and address, etc) and distance myself from them and recommend that other's do also.....permanently.
Shunning was a terrible punishment in times past. It still is.
We don't serve people like you here
Actions have consequences.
So do you think people should be loyal a country only because they were born within those arbitrary and imaginary lines that make up the country's border?
you bring up a good point. If you don't like it here...
if you intend to stay be polite.
@everittdmickey seems a bit fascist to think that. Nothing about this post or these opinions are impolite -- it seems they just differ from your own. What entitles you to make examples out of people in the ways you describe? Where are your views coming from and what makes them "more right" than someone else's?
This blog post is encouraging people to take a long, hard look into where loyalties, beliefs, and opinions come from and as WHY do we think them? What's fuelling them?
For all anyone knows about the training of loyalty to a country, we could all be brainwashed so that the government can get away with whatever evil it deems is "right" and have us go along with it.
why do you say that it's fascist to think that? I just have your welfare in mind. You don't seem to like it in the USA. It seems to be causing you grief and heartburn. If that's the case then the best thing you could do would be to leave. Even a very young child learns that if something burns him then the best thing to do it move away from it.
Seems pretty simple.
Now about that fascist thing...that was rude as if you are trying to pick a fight.
I don't have the inclination ...so bye.
Fascism is defined as
It seems that you think people should be loyal to a nation for no reason and then because they disagree with you, you feel the right to punish them. Why is that? Why do you deserve to be the one punishing people because they disagree with your beliefs?
I, too, am trying to point out a possible instance of hypocrisy in the hopes that we all can broaden our perspectives. It's not intended to pick a fight.
(Also, I just wanted to make sure you noticed this comment didn't come from @shenanigator, the one who wrote the post.)
P.S. I'll see if I can get some heartburn relief medication, although I don't typically like to medicate when there isn't a problem. 😋