this post was submitted on 24 Mar 2024
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People--well, right-wing nationalists in this case--have a lot of self-worth tied up in their nationhood and thusly in way the country is perceived. The problem with this is that any criticism, even justified, as an attack on that self-worth. They don't have the right "mental equipment" to process feeling bad about their country.
Humans are astonishingly tribal animals. A lot of our worst behaviour becomes a lot more understandable when you realize how much of it is driven by primate tribalism that evolved millions of years ago, and the reason it's so powerful is because, for those millions of years, ostracism was a death sentence. It'll take a long time to breed tribalism out of humanity.
I agree with everything you've written here. And I think you and I can agree that if you're truly proud of a nation, you help to keep the good parts, and repair the damage of the bad parts.
What I find strange though is this feels the opposite of tribal -- they're turning their backs on their tribe now. You tell me a sub-group within our group was targeted with genocide by people in our leadership, and I will be sure to put a (metaphorical) bullet in anyone who tries that again, or helps those people cover up their crimes.
Imagine hearing people in power you never voted for attempted genocide and then going "I will defend these people."
I'm not sure who got to them first to brainwash them, but it seems to have done a good job.