The lack of national pride and respecting symbols is really saddening to me. I'm glad that you and the other poster (and I'm sure there are others) are bringing attention to the lack of respect that abounds.
I wish I could think of something more eloquent to say, but I'm personally full of pride for my country. I know we have our faults, but what country doesn't? It just bugs me when people completely bash their countries...I just don't get it. I don't understand when people disrespect them or completely disown them and/or people who do feel pride for their country.
And Hetalia, specifically. I love the fandom, I really do. I love how people seem to be more patriotic, or more willing to learn about other cultures. I don't understand the lack of respect in reference to symbols. It just...doesn't compute.
Blah. I'm having difficulty finding the right words. But I do recall some of the comments from that post, and it just really made me sad. What did happen to patriotism? To a little bit of national pride? To respect? :(
It's not so much the lack of respect that bothers me. It's the fact that there is no emotion attached to the symbol and they then brazenly feel that all rules of etiquette don't apply therefore. I don't care if someone doesn't like their country, I really don't. But to be void of emotion, to feel that the flag is just a piece of cloth, is a little disconcerting with me.
But saying that, it bothers me when I see the flag so disrespectfully used in cosplay photographs as the poster of the main post. You should be able to pose with it, so long as you're doin' it right. Like, I've seen photos of flags on the ground used as picnic blankets w/e. It's a bit grating.
And the Hetalia fandom is one of the better fandoms I've been a part of. One of the more interactive ones at that and that just might stem from the fact the episodes are released online only. XD
If you want the honest to God truth, this is a subtle rant on "progressive" society.
Ok, ok, I see what you're saying. But I challenge your statement:
But I don't have high self-worth because of the mass of land I happened to be born on
It's not the landmass that's the emphasis of the pride though. It's the accomplishments of the people before us and the people who will come after us. The common thread of ideals that unite us as "Americans." And the same goes for gender, race, but I'm not sure how sexual orientation falls in the argument but hahaha. I could just be ignorant.
I've read your comment a couple times and I do agree with about 90% of your comment. I just wanted to flag where the emphasis in pride is in--the abstract; all the things that make this nation awesome...or not awesome depending on what time period you want to scrutinize. XD
Can a parent be proud of his or her child? I believe, using the definition of "to be proud of" that you've provided, a parent can be proud. If the child acted in a way which displayed the teachings of the parent, then yes, the parent can be proud of the child.
Can a person be proud of another person? If the aforementioned applies.
Anyway, reading this post a few times, I think you've convinced me of your argument's position on the term "pride." I think your argument also highlights the dangers that could come from the abuse of the term "pride"/"to be proud."
But, what I find curious is the definition of "proud." Oh God, this is turning into a Lincoln Douglass debate. For added fun, what's the value we'll be debating? hahahaha The definition I have is,
1 : feeling or showing pride: as a : having or displaying excessive self-esteem b : much pleased : exultant c : having proper self-respectFrom the Merriam-Webster dictionary. So, I guess, to
( ... )
AFSKJHDSKL! You were the one that wrote this!? I read this a while ago and I was soooo happy that someone finally addressed this! Lol, I hadn't realized it was you until I came to your profile to check for more fanfics! XDDD Awesome.
Haha~ Geez. I just really seem to agree with you on a whole bunch of stuff! :D Keep doin' what ya do, and say it like it is~! >:D
I quite agree, and I have to thank you for bringing this to peoples attention. Thank you very much. =]
On a side note...Did people really bad mouth you for your Obama post? D: Shame on them!
Ahhh, your comment reminds me of all the work I haven't done on Suburban Youth, but I swear it's coming along!!
Keep doin' what ya do, and say it like it is~! >:D
Why thank you! I'm just glad my random rants are being read by people. :)
I quite agree, and I have to thank you for bringing this to peoples attention. Thank you very much. =]
You're welcome! :)
Did people really bad mouth you for your Obama post? Oh heavens no. I got lots of good responses to the Obama post. But it was a controversial post and I had the opportunity to get flamed. 'S all I'm sayin. :)
Oh wow! International viewers woot! :) *loves the Internetz*
I appreciate your comment, but to be completely I wouldn't be writing about this if it had only happened in the Hetalia fandom. Unfortunately, I see this behavior too many times to count, not only overseas, but in my own country as well.
Most of the repliers weren't country-hating 13 year olds (the "oh snap, I wanna live in Japan so baaaaad because everything is just so kawaii and moe" type). Most of what I gathered from responders who inspired my mini-rant were people who saw American flag reverence as something extreme, then revealing their own anecdotes about how their country doesn't generally care about flag etiquette, which surprised and saddened me greatly; thus, this post.
And if you feel a spot o' pride whenever your flag raises and the national anthem blares in the background, more power to you. :)
But to reiterate, I would not be writing about this if I didn't feel the issue expanded past the Hetalia fandom.
Wow, I am soooo late to this party! Xl But I really wanted to comment on your post, becuase an issue just like this sprang up on me the other week in the Hetalia fandom: some (presumably american) fan posted a "fic" on Fanfiction.net (It wasn't even really a fanfic, and um...It sotra made me question the age and grammatical education of the author, if you catch my drift.), but responding to it was an anonymous reviewer, claiming to be from Europe, who wrote whole paragraphs in reaction to this “fic” in which he/she criticized (among other things) patriotism. Now, the review was in no way a flame; it was well written and attempted to explain his/her view. But what seemed odd to me was how proud this person seemed to be that their Europe was NOT patriotic, citing all kinds of “historical reasons” and everything! I obviously have a very different definition of patriotism than this reviewer. The whole thing just irked me to no end!!! I almost broke my livejournal virginity and posted something about it, but I see that you’ve (sort of)
( ... )
Well, shoot, don't feel bad about coming to the party. I'm just as late, if not more, in my response!
Thanks for the comment, though! I'm glad that my writings can be encouraging. It's something I aspire to do. :)
Patriotism, to me, is more than just being prideful or, as you saw with my conversation with carver above, happy with, one's nation. Being born into a nation is part of your identity. You can denounce your nation, in a sense rejecting what it stands for and its institutions. But then the question must be asked, if you're so unhappy with where you are, why are you still there? See what I'm saying?
Comments 10
I wish I could think of something more eloquent to say, but I'm personally full of pride for my country. I know we have our faults, but what country doesn't? It just bugs me when people completely bash their countries...I just don't get it. I don't understand when people disrespect them or completely disown them and/or people who do feel pride for their country.
And Hetalia, specifically. I love the fandom, I really do. I love how people seem to be more patriotic, or more willing to learn about other cultures. I don't understand the lack of respect in reference to symbols. It just...doesn't compute.
Blah. I'm having difficulty finding the right words. But I do recall some of the comments from that post, and it just really made me sad. What did happen to patriotism? To a little bit of national pride? To respect? :(
Reply
It's not so much the lack of respect that bothers me. It's the fact that there is no emotion attached to the symbol and they then brazenly feel that all rules of etiquette don't apply therefore. I don't care if someone doesn't like their country, I really don't. But to be void of emotion, to feel that the flag is just a piece of cloth, is a little disconcerting with me.
But saying that, it bothers me when I see the flag so disrespectfully used in cosplay photographs as the poster of the main post. You should be able to pose with it, so long as you're doin' it right. Like, I've seen photos of flags on the ground used as picnic blankets w/e. It's a bit grating.
And the Hetalia fandom is one of the better fandoms I've been a part of. One of the more interactive ones at that and that just might stem from the fact the episodes are released online only. XD
If you want the honest to God truth, this is a subtle rant on "progressive" society.
Reply
(The comment has been removed)
But I don't have high self-worth because of the mass of land I happened to be born on
It's not the landmass that's the emphasis of the pride though. It's the accomplishments of the people before us and the people who will come after us. The common thread of ideals that unite us as "Americans." And the same goes for gender, race, but I'm not sure how sexual orientation falls in the argument but hahaha. I could just be ignorant.
I've read your comment a couple times and I do agree with about 90% of your comment. I just wanted to flag where the emphasis in pride is in--the abstract; all the things that make this nation awesome...or not awesome depending on what time period you want to scrutinize. XD
Reply
(The comment has been removed)
I don't mind text blocks! They're fun to read. :D
Can a parent be proud of his or her child?
I believe, using the definition of "to be proud of" that you've provided, a parent can be proud. If the child acted in a way which displayed the teachings of the parent, then yes, the parent can be proud of the child.
Can a person be proud of another person?
If the aforementioned applies.
Anyway, reading this post a few times, I think you've convinced me of your argument's position on the term "pride." I think your argument also highlights the dangers that could come from the abuse of the term "pride"/"to be proud."
But, what I find curious is the definition of "proud." Oh God, this is turning into a Lincoln Douglass debate. For added fun, what's the value we'll be debating? hahahaha The definition I have is,
1 : feeling or showing pride: as a : having or displaying excessive self-esteem b : much pleased : exultant c : having proper self-respectFrom the Merriam-Webster dictionary. So, I guess, to ( ... )
Reply
You were the one that wrote this!?
I read this a while ago and I was soooo happy that someone finally addressed this!
Lol, I hadn't realized it was you until I came to your profile to check for more fanfics! XDDD
Awesome.
Haha~ Geez. I just really seem to agree with you on a whole bunch of stuff! :D
Keep doin' what ya do, and say it like it is~! >:D
I quite agree, and I have to thank you for bringing this to peoples attention.
Thank you very much. =]
On a side note...Did people really bad mouth you for your Obama post? D:
Shame on them!
Reply
Keep doin' what ya do, and say it like it is~! >:D
Why thank you! I'm just glad my random rants are being read by people. :)
I quite agree, and I have to thank you for bringing this to peoples attention.
Thank you very much. =]
You're welcome! :)
Did people really bad mouth you for your Obama post?
Oh heavens no. I got lots of good responses to the Obama post. But it was a controversial post and I had the opportunity to get flamed. 'S all I'm sayin. :)
Reply
(The comment has been removed)
I appreciate your comment, but to be completely I wouldn't be writing about this if it had only happened in the Hetalia fandom. Unfortunately, I see this behavior too many times to count, not only overseas, but in my own country as well.
Most of the repliers weren't country-hating 13 year olds (the "oh snap, I wanna live in Japan so baaaaad because everything is just so kawaii and moe" type). Most of what I gathered from responders who inspired my mini-rant were people who saw American flag reverence as something extreme, then revealing their own anecdotes about how their country doesn't generally care about flag etiquette, which surprised and saddened me greatly; thus, this post.
And if you feel a spot o' pride whenever your flag raises and the national anthem blares in the background, more power to you. :)
But to reiterate, I would not be writing about this if I didn't feel the issue expanded past the Hetalia fandom.
Thanks for reading :)
Reply
But I really wanted to comment on your post, becuase an issue just like this sprang up on me the other week in the Hetalia fandom: some (presumably american) fan posted a "fic" on Fanfiction.net (It wasn't even really a fanfic, and um...It sotra made me question the age and grammatical education of the author, if you catch my drift.), but responding to it was an anonymous reviewer, claiming to be from Europe, who wrote whole paragraphs in reaction to this “fic” in which he/she criticized (among other things) patriotism. Now, the review was in no way a flame; it was well written and attempted to explain his/her view. But what seemed odd to me was how proud this person seemed to be that their Europe was NOT patriotic, citing all kinds of “historical reasons” and everything! I obviously have a very different definition of patriotism than this reviewer. The whole thing just irked me to no end!!! I almost broke my livejournal virginity and posted something about it, but I see that you’ve (sort of) ( ... )
Reply
Thanks for the comment, though! I'm glad that my writings can be encouraging. It's something I aspire to do. :)
Patriotism, to me, is more than just being prideful or, as you saw with my conversation with carver above, happy with, one's nation. Being born into a nation is part of your identity. You can denounce your nation, in a sense rejecting what it stands for and its institutions. But then the question must be asked, if you're so unhappy with where you are, why are you still there? See what I'm saying?
Haha, I don't either.
Well, thanks again for stoppin' by!
Reply
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