my way or any way.
I am just talking about my own assessment of what is meaningful in the final analysis.
I stopped thinking a certain way because I was born into it a long time ago. It is called independent analysis and choosing who you are.
For me, I was born in one country and lived in several others. To each one in which I live, I owe gratitude and cooperation with the system that makes it liveable, and I have to do my part. That is not nationalism, but simple civic responsibility. But, there is no rational reason I can think of to pick one as the best, make membership in that nation the meaning of my life, and then expect others to see it as the best, too.
I am not against nations as a pragmatic institutions. But they are useful because they facilitate for people values which are universal, like law and order, education, etc.
But just "French values" or "American values" or "Indian values" and so on. Can't be universal. When the U.S. under Bush was insisting that the Middle East adopt American values, I didn't get it. Was everyone supposed to become American, or just wish they were? What does that mean?
I like Indian food (the best in the world!), Indian conversationalism, classical sitar music, and a lot of other great Indian cultural accomplishments. But, I don't get the idea of being Indian as the end all be all meaning of life and everything.
Whatever do you mean by "skydaddy." India is the most prolific 'skydaddy' designer in the world, which are manufactured from plastic in China. I saw plenty of Indians in S.E. Asia pouring milk down the mouth of a plastic skydaddy, and into hidden bucket behind it. Or rubbing butter all over a big skydaddy "linga". To each his own.
My belief is simply that this universe has a unitary order of value and meaning, because it has a single Creator. This Creator created everything and every human, regardless of nation or any other group identity, with a specific purpose. This is something subject to independent rational verification by looking and thinking, if you think carefully and deeply enough.
Because there is a universal order, it is possible for humans to have shared values. Otherwise, not.
For example, you say that Indian nationalism is a real value. Would you say that Pakistani nationalism is also a real value? I doubt it. Every nationalist hates the nationalism of his enemy. And there can be no nationalism without an enemy.
my way or any way.
I am just talking about my own assessment of what is meaningful in the final analysis.
I stopped thinking a certain way because I was born into it a long time ago. It is called independent analysis and choosing who you are.
For me, I was born in one country and lived in several others. To each one in which I live, I owe gratitude and cooperation with the system that makes it liveable, and I have to do my part. That is not nationalism, but simple civic responsibility. But, there is no rational reason I can think of to pick one as the best, make membership in that nation the meaning of my life, and then expect others to see it as the best, too.
I am not against nations as a pragmatic institutions. But they are useful because they facilitate for people values which are universal, like law and order, education, etc.
But just "French values" or "American values" or "Indian values" and so on. Can't be universal. When the U.S. under Bush was insisting that the Middle East adopt American values, I didn't get it. Was everyone supposed to become American, or just wish they were? What does that mean?
I like Indian food (the best in the world!), Indian conversationalism, classical sitar music, and a lot of other great Indian cultural accomplishments. But, I don't get the idea of being Indian as the end all be all meaning of life and everything.
Whatever do you mean by "skydaddy." India is the most prolific 'skydaddy' designer in the world, which are manufactured from plastic in China. I saw plenty of Indians in S.E. Asia pouring milk down the mouth of a plastic skydaddy, and into hidden bucket behind it. Or rubbing butter all over a big skydaddy "linga". To each his own.
My belief is simply that this universe has a unitary order of value and meaning, because it has a single Creator. This Creator created everything and every human, regardless of nation or any other group identity, with a specific purpose. This is something subject to independent rational verification by looking and thinking, if you think carefully and deeply enough.
Because there is a universal order, it is possible for humans to have shared values. Otherwise, not.
For example, you say that Indian nationalism is a real value. Would you say that Pakistani nationalism is also a real value? I doubt it. Every nationalist hates the nationalism of his enemy. And there can be no nationalism without an enemy.