Patriotism is Outdated

“Patriotism is your conviction that this country is superior to all other countries because you were born in it.” George Bernard Shaw

Thus spake G.B.Shaw, and I'm quite inclined to agree with him. Argument by authority aside, I believe that the human race has outgrown the need for classification by narrow boundaries and must shed this meme to grow further.

Today, if I tell you that as a resident of Jayanagar, you must fight to the death residents of Koramangala, you'd laugh at me. But a couple of thousand years ago, that's exactly what patriotism was - being ready to give your life and limb for the folks in the 2 kilometer stretch around you.

Ten thousand years ago, you'd have been a part of a roving tribe of not-quite-monkeys, being loyal and patriotic to the twenty or fifty not-quite-monkeys with you.

Till a few hundred years ago, you'd have been fighting patriotically for a small state against another small state, perhaps Bangalore against Mysore, or Chennai against Pondicherry.

Today, you're loyal and patriotic to a country. If you stand up and cheer for your team, or fight to kill someone from another country, then you're a patriot.

See where I'm going yet?

Shed your patriotism, 'tis nothing more than a protective skin that was required to keep a small tribe of not-quite monkeys alive. We've outgrown our need for it.

The only object worthy of loyalty today is the Human Race. The only way of keeping the Human Race alive is by working together. "Where the world has not been broken up into fragments by narrow domestic walls..."