Nationalism and Nationalist, The words that are now a days most often in news. He is nationalist. He talks against anchor so he is Anti National,you may have often come across such comments in today’s Mass media.Politicians use the issue of Nationalism to come to power. So what actually is Nationalism?
Definition of nationalism loyalty and devotion to a nation; one nation above all others and placing primary emphasis on promotion of its culture and interests as opposed to those of other nations or supranational groups.In other words, the strong belief that the interests of a particular nation-state are of primary importance. Also, the belief that a people who share a common language, history, and culture should constitute an independent nation, free of foreign domination. Although the emergence of the nation into political consciousness is often placed in the nineteenth century, attempts by political leaders to craft new national identities, with their dynasty at the center, have been identified as early as the late Roman Empire . The Barbarian rulers of the successor states crafted these new identities on the basis of descent of the ruler from ancient noble families, a shared descent of a single people with common language, custom, and religious identity, and a definition in law of the rights and responsibilities of members of the new nation.
Till now you may have got clear idea of Nationalism, so let me then move on to my topic of the day “Toxic Nationalism” yes dear readers that is reality in our society today like anything else you may see around. Toxic means poisonous. You may have heard of poisonous substances that cause death or injuries and also toxic people, yeah toxic people. Toxic is a group of people who are rude and can’t be nice . They are not true to people around them. They need an attitude check. Their personalities are so unappealing its make the people around them suffer and turn rude as well. Beware of toxics around. Like substance & people there are Toxic ideologies which create thousands of toxic people to make hell of this beautiful world.
Nationalism is alive and thriving in India and Russia as well. India’s navy and air force are in the process of becoming among the world’s largest. Throughout most of history, India and China had little to do with each other, separated as they were by the Himalayas. But the collapse of distance by way of technology has created a new strategic geography for two big nations. Now Indian space satellites monitor Chinese military installations, even as Chinese fighter jets in Tibet have the possibility of including India within their arc of operations. This rivalry has further refined and invigorated nationalism in both countries.
In Russia, Vladimir Putin’s nationalism is a large factor in his high popularity.
Fascists are not about to regain power anywhere on the Continent, but the age of deepening European integration is likely behind us. Get ready to see more nasty and thoroughly frightening political groupings like Greece’s Golden Dawn emerge across the Continent. We truly are in a battle between two epic forces: Those of integration based on civil society and human rights, and those of exclusion based on race, blood and radicalized faith.
Recently travelling to India i met lot of people who doesn’t like to listen any criticism of present government and we have seen incidents where you can face great danger to life if you expressed your opinion about any sensitive issue like KASHMIR, same will be your treatment if you criticised present P.M or famous feudal of India that all know are very icons of Nationalism. But where are these icons when a common man in U.P Ikhlaq is killed for allegedly eating beef? Why do they not rally for safety of women in India? Why in those cases their “Neta-giri” is satisfied by press release?
If you take a cursory glance at the television commercials of the day, many things – motorbikes, cement, cooking oil, building tiles, etc. – are often sold in the name of and by using the face of the army, to stir nationalist emotions in people to gain maximum profit, “Capitalist world” we live in today where Sometimes, the desperation to use the imagery is so strong that the product-makers try to forge connections where none exist.a new emerging giant of ayurveda-based company is using the face of its current founder – a spiritual guru known for revolutionising yoga in India. These figures use their personalities as an ideological statement. Their images give particular meanings to the words they speak and produce particular discourses.
When the nation becomes a medium to sell a product, then the whole idea of the nation becomes subservient to the vicious circle of capitalism. This creates a facade of wants by creating an illusion of incompleteness, scarcity and need. It also reinforces the material basis of emotions like nationalism by defining them in their exteriority and their tangible manifestation.This all has turned Nationalism into a product that is sold in the market. I would quote Avinash Pandey, Political Commentator (India) He says in his article:
Very idea of nationalism is based on exclusivity, difference and ‘other’ing. It cannot survive without an other, often an inimical one, and therefore invents one if there is none. Sadly, it has to keep inventing them to survive, to keep the idea afloat! Think of it, what would be on the mind of an ordinary person, or an ordinary family, or even a community- their own immediate surroundings, their own well being or an abstract called “nationalism”- unless, off course, there is a threat, an attack or whatever, real, imagined or pure propagandized (oh those people are stealing ‘our’ jobs, mates). If the ‘nationalism’ gets contained in harmless mothering- like in sports, it operates as a fine instrument of order in society. When it gets appropriated by a crooked person/political party, it becomes toxic and starts bleeding the nation itself.
Indian Nationalism is standing at that stage! It has gone very very toxic! I would leave you with few Questions. Has this Toxic Nationalism united us or divided? Can’t we save our human race above all these cultures, languages, race? Is Nationalism a step towards civilized society or not? I’m not against any of your nationalistic ideology but you must take responsibility of it’s consequences.
(The author a pass out of Government Polytechnic College Srinagar is regularly contributing for the Edit Page of “Kashmir Horizon”. The views of the author are exclusively his own)
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