Viva México?
A couple of days ago, I was sitting on my bed just casually scrolling through the Recommended section on YouTube; as it turned out, there was one video I found which subsequently became the inspiration for this piece, and it was a clip from one of Irish-American comedian George Carlin's standups. Here, he questions the concept of national pride and proposes that "pride should be reserved for something you achieved or obtained on your own, not something that happens by accident of birth. Being Irish isn't a skill. It's a f****** genetic accident."
This makes sense. Being born in any country shouldn't automatically make anyone feel prideful for it - but then again, isn’t that how participation trophies work?
Still, that's not the only issue with fanatical patriotism, as it is also achingly bothersome when people are driven to take pride in the achievements of others purely because they happen to share a nationality. Take last year's FIFA World Cup in which Mexico beat Germany, a historical soccer powerhouse, and the whole country went mad with an ethereal sense of patriotism jolting up and down their veins.
Of all the moments in which one could choose to be proud, that's the time we choose to be prideful Mexicans? It's important to note another question that is raised by this moment; why would any random accomplishment by a compatriot - or group of compatriots - suddenly make anyone feel prouder to be born in a given place?
Furthermore, if anyone bothered to read what we senselessly regurgitate at school assemblies, one would realize that the Promesa Estudiantil states that we'd promise to give our lives in defense of Nuevo Leon and Mexico if it called upon us. Would you truly be willing to die in the name of your country? It’s understandable that some do, I just know I wouldn't.
On the other hand, it’s apparent that the fine line between being patriotism and nationalism is almost being blurred these days - the latter of which is an even more idiotic concept. The United States is the poster-child for this notion, not only because of the reckless, toupéed muttonhead they have running their country either; Mexico, with AMLO, is also slowly falling into this section.
I don't feel any pride in being neither Mexican nor American. I just feel proud to be able to live my life in a way that does not bind me to any country's sets of values and beliefs - and that should be okay.