Essay on Wearing patriotism on your sleeve for UPSC and SSC : At his farewell speech, America's erstwhile President Ronald Reagan warned his countrymen in a stringent note that, "unless Americans taught each new generation what it means to be an American, we risk losing our memory as a nation - and along with it - the American spirit." The spirit of patriotism is evident also when the former American President Barack Obama cathartically exclaimed, "America is not a bunch of individuals or blue states and white states - it is the United States of America." And one can see that America, the nation topped the list amongst the most patriotic countries of the world, according to a Forbes 2008 survey.
Essay on Wearing patriotism on your sleeve for UPSC and SSC
At his farewell speech, America's erstwhile President Ronald Reagan warned his countrymen in a stringent note that, "unless Americans taught each new generation what it means to be an American, we risk losing our memory as a nation - and along with it - the American spirit." The spirit of patriotism is evident also when the former American President Barack Obama cathartically exclaimed, "America is not a bunch of individuals or blue states and white states - it is the United States of America." And one can see that America, the nation topped the list amongst the most patriotic countries of the world, according to a Forbes 2008 survey.
In the case of India when it comes to patriotism, it appears to be merely circumscribed to the game of cricket. We live within constricted alleys of varying ideologies while consistently failing to identify our own selves. It's been now seventy years after our independence and we still hover around the labyrinthine dogmas of Regionalism, Caste, Secularism, Marxism and Communalism only leaving apart our zeal for the doctrine of patriotism. As a matter of consequence, the way to recognition of being an Indian tends to lose its strand ludicrously.
The idea of patriotism is something above and beyond region, caste, religion or for that matter any ideological hegemony. It is congenital in terms of belonging to the nation. Everyone in a country is emotionally attached to the pride, success and well-being of the same. A mere frenzy at the victory of the Indian cricket team cannot be defined as patriotism. Patriotism is counted when we blatantly litter our surroundings and also when we cast our votes to the wrong person. It is the anxiety to see the country progressing like Ferrari wheels. It is not limited to the saluting of the national flag or a 52 seconds statue stature during the national anthem which also often overburdens us.
Patriotism does not demand one to be in the defense forces or in sports or to be a politician. It is the zeal ensued by the commitment to do some good work for the fellow countrymen. Short and small deeds matter most when we think about patriotism. When Indian patriotism comes under purview, it is seen that the backward classes are often ignored to be playing a better hand at ameliorating patriotic feelings. They are pushed aside as the socially frigid groups. But for that matter we also have to take into account another pertinent saying here that “an empty stomach cannot blow the seditious sound of the war bugle.” It is correct that a person devoid of family upbringing and good school education cannot inculcate in himself the greatness and pride of the political, the cultural and the economic history of his own nation. Patriotism requires the same zeal in the educated class and the deprived section. But even the educated class now falls short of recounting the pride bestowed to us by those martyrs who sacrificed for our glory today.
History speaks that India had been invaded and attacked several times since as early as 300 B.C. primarily due to the reason that there existed diasporas of disunited principalities dispersed hither and thither, that were always fighting with each other and therefore not being able to conglomerate under one common banner and essence. Now centuries have elapsed and we live in the era of absolute liberalization and globalization of market as well as culture. Yet it seems history has reiterated itself for we are not still capable of recognizing our own culture, heritage, history and all those akin to the roots of the nation. This portrays nothing more than a lack of representation for the cause of the nation. India nevertheless is a citadel of education, philosophy, mathematics, medicine, astronomy, fine arts, music, dance and numerous others, but the leaders holding the helm of the nation are yet not able to realize the representational potentials of such a nation.
With a grim note, it must be stated that the discovery of a nation that was once motivated by a single utterance of "Bande Mataram'' has now come to a cul-de-sac. The educated coterie is apathetic and only lends a cold shoulder to the problems afflicting the country. It has rather become preferential for them to use their brains abroad. As a matter of fact, the nation's roots comprising of culture, heritage and tradition have failed further discovery, exposition and focus. The age is so governed solely by the evil aspects of the occidental system that the youths today are easily swayed by conspicuous consumption, self-centered consumerism, corruption and separatism. That is why, we can easily see today in every nook and corner of the country, riots have been only supplanted by riots, let apart peace and resolution. It has become quite dubious now to hope for a patriotic fervor among countrymen. We very easily incline to undo the plain Aesopian fable that still carries as much weight as in the ancient times, "United we stand, divided we fall." Losing patriotism in India is ominous of the fact that the country is very soon expecting to see the decay of its very backbone. Freedom for this nation was not easily achieved; we must also remember that it is even difficult to maintain that hard earned freedom. To ensure inclusive prosperity and development in a fast moving economy like India, patriotism and unity is a sine qua non. At a time when we often remain entangled with self-centered businesses, we may at best internalize the words of patriotism spoken by the great American politician Adlai E. Stevenson, "Patriotism is not short, frenzied outbursts of emotion, but the tranquil and steady dedication of a lifetime?' These words of fervor may at least be a goading beacon for people moving astray from the rooted doctrines and let patriotism, an innate behavior among countrymen, be restored in replete.
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