Thursday, November 3, 2011

“Traitors”?

No, no, no, no, no. To call your leaders “traitors” gives away the fact that you are still buying into that whole antiquated, anti-progressive, benighted, backward concept of “nationhood”. Nationhood? Separate countries, each with its own language, its own currency, its own ways, its own values, its own identity, its own laws, its own food and music and art and dancing, etc., etc., etc.? That’s what throughout history has caused wars and imperialism and genocide and innumerable other evils. The idea of nationhood is chauvinistic, small-minded, very bad for business, and downright fascist! Enlightened people today are citizens of the world, like Socrates. Outgrow the idea of separate, competing countries and you’ll easily perceive that betraying ones country is impossible. No such thing. The only traitors are those who betray the world community: you, for example, if your loyalty is smaller than that and you are still holding out for your own country.

Excuse me now, while I go learn how to sing the Internationale. Anybody want to join me? No? I somehow didn’t think so. Maybe I won’t, either. I’m feeling rather too nauseated to sing.

4 comments:

Anam Cara said...

Sorry, I have no desire to learn to sing anything that sounds like it has a French name.

It's a long story - one that goes back to my Huguenot ancestors, so I won't bore you now.

123 said...

The issue with Greece seems more about whether it wants to live up to its committments to the EU and the euro (not the world). Greece spent ten years taking advantage of the euro and borrowed like there was no tomorrow. Debt can't be bad only when your lender comes calling. Of course, should Greece fully default and refuse the bail-out package offered (which is still a default), Greece won't have to worry about future debt - no one will lend to them at normal rates for a long time.

It isn't about German domination, it's about money lending and money borrowing. The Fathers say such lending is slavery, that's why it feels like slavery. But, it's a slavery that has been chosen (by action and inaction) by the Greek people and their leaders.

That's not to say I think the Greeks should pay their debts. Default is a time-honored response to recessions. It's just there's a price to pay for that choice, too, just as the bank's repo men are the price one has to pay if you borrowed beyond your means.

Anastasia Theodoridis said...

That's how the government betrayed Greece, by totally irresponsible borrowing. From equally irresponsible lenders, we may add, somewhat irrelevantly.

Yes, debt is slavery.

It's worse than French, Anam. It's the Communist anthem.

Anastasia Theodoridis said...

Anam, you and I have some common ancestors, apparently. My grandmother was a proud member of the Hugeunot Society.