Patriotism is, to most, the innate need to blindly support all arguments made in their country's name. Criticism against the motherland is almost criminal-like to who believe in this ideology. They will tell you since you can remember a thing that to revere your nation's culture and past and to serve its glory.
They will tell you how we won our Independence. They will tell you about the Gandhis and Nehrus. But they won't tell you about Subhash Chandra Bose or Sardar Vallabhai Patel in the same vein of things when it comes to the struggle against the British. These men never did what they did for the sake of credit. But if you are dishing out credit all these years later on a regular basis then how about we do so after an informed and thorough factual background check on these fellows as well instead of conveniently falling back repeatedly on the ravishing tales of the heroes of the former INC?
Fast forward to modern issues, they will condescendingly "tsk-tsk" away at how the nations' human resources are being stretched due to brain-drain. But these are the same people who will proudly brag about how their daughter or son secured a scholarship at an Ivy League University knowing fully well the statistics that dictate the probability of their son or daughter returning back to India to build their careers being next to nothing.
They will tell you how terrorism in India is down to the misdemeanors of the ISI. They will turn a blind eye to the rampant activities of the Naxalites in the Eastern states and how the government's failure to contain the Naxalites has led to loss of considerable life and livelihood over the past 3 decades.
They will tell you about the Tendulkars, Dravids and Dhyanchands. But they will not draw the names of Pullela Gopichand or Vishwanathan Anand in the same breath as their achievements are in somewhat less sensationalized sports.
In short, patriotism is hypocrisy. Its a lie. And to cover up that one lie, you have been naturally lied to over many different facets.
""Our national anthem, 'Jana Gana Mana', is sung throughout the country.Did you know the following about it? I didn't. I have always wondered who is the 'Adhinayak' and 'Bharat Bhagya Vidhata', whose praise we are singing. I have always thought it might be Motherland India!
To begin with,Jana Gana Mana, was written by Rabindranath Tagore in honour of King George V and the Queen of England when they visited India in 1911. To honour their visit, Pandit Motilal Nehru had five stanzas included that are in praise of the King and Queen. (And most of us think it is in praise of our great motherland.)
In the original Bengali verses only those provinces that were under British rule, i.e., Punjab, Sindh, Gujarat, Maratha, were mentioned. None of the princely states, which are integral parts of India now, such as Kashmir, Rajasthan, Andhra, Mysore and Kerala, were recognized.
Neither the Indian Ocean nor the Arabian Sea were included because they were directly under Portuguese rule at that time. Jana Gana Mana implies that King George V is the lord of the masses and Bharata Bhagya Vidhata, or 'the bestower of good fortune'.
Here is a translation of the five stanzas that glorify the King. Stanza 1: The (Indian) people wake up remembering your good name and ask for your blessings and they sing your glories (Tava shubha name jaage; tava shubha aashish maage, gaaye tava jaya gaatha)
Stanza 2: Around your throne, people of all religions come and give their love and anxiously wait to hear your kind words.
Stanza 3: Praise to the King for being the charioteer, for leading the ancient travelers beyond misery.
Stanza 4: Drowned in deep ignorance and suffering, this poverty stricken,unconscious country? Waiting for the wink of your eye and our mother's (the Queen's) true protection.
Stanza 5: In your compassionate plans, the sleeping Bharat (India) will wake up. We bow down to your feet, O Queen, and glory to Rajeshwara(the King).
This whole poem does not indicate any love for the Motherland, but depicts a bleak picture of it. When you sing Jana Gana Mana, whom are you glorifying? Certainly not the Motherland. Is it God? The poem does not indicate that. It is time now to understand the original purpose and the implication of this, rather than blindly sing as has been done the past 60 years.
Jai Hind.""
Baseless glorification. Two words that could aptly compensate for this particular message.
There is a problem. Its called hypocrisy. The message of this post is to identify the existence of the problem. It is a not a solution. And its only for your consideration.