I'm all for patriotism, but when it turns into chauvinism I believe we need to cut it out. Our excessive pride in country needs to be tempered so that we can accept the new people and their ideas.
That's a good question, it's easier to be more accepting of a people when you understand them better. Education is probably the best answer. We're pretty good at teaching about our own country's history in school but not so great at teaching about a foreign country's history and culture. Oftentimes we portray them in a negative light so that ours looks even better by comparison. It probably goes back to the desire to inspire pride in the country. But, I honestly don't think it's necessary to put a spin on historical events because the facts speak for themselves: our country is incredibly great, not perfect but awesome.
So, due to increased immigration we should change to be more accepting of diverse cultures. How do you suggest that we eradicate chauvinism?
ReplyDeleteThat's a good question, it's easier to be more accepting of a people when you understand them better. Education is probably the best answer. We're pretty good at teaching about our own country's history in school but not so great at teaching about a foreign country's history and culture. Oftentimes we portray them in a negative light so that ours looks even better by comparison. It probably goes back to the desire to inspire pride in the country. But, I honestly don't think it's necessary to put a spin on historical events because the facts speak for themselves: our country is incredibly great, not perfect but awesome.
ReplyDelete