THE GOLDEN MEAN OF NATIONALISM
There is a golden mean between ultra-nationalism and anti-nationalism, and that is nationalism. Let us be nationalistic, patriotic to the core without being ignorant, ill-informed, irrational or infra-rational in our emotional, mental and intellectual derivatives thereof.
Our allegiance to the nation must be founded more on sound character and principled living rather than frothy emotion of the hour expressed in raucous surface support for a contingent cause whose passage with time will quell emotions and bury the issue deep into the realm of oblivion. This must not be. We must have a continuous commitment to the nation independent of the stimuli of sorrowful situations imposed upon it when, of course, we must at any rate and by all means rise up as a single people to combat and conquer the exigencies of the times. But ours, I reiterate, must be a continuous commitment to the nation's well-being.
Our intent must be clear, our motivations pure, our convictions based on reason, humanity and adherence to our age-old universal spiritual culture. But none must, therefore, take recourse to the narrative of our universal acceptance of creeds and faiths to suit their subversive ends.
Our national philosophy must be comprehended in completeness after its systematic study from our heritage sources and not merely from western sources of historical information and analysis. The narrative of our nation must have the Indian perspective and our understanding of our culture and history formed accordingly. Only then shall we be able to rightly interpret our history and seek lessons thereof for combating the current conspiracies that afflict our nation. In it will lie true nationalism and eminent service to our motherland.
May we study more of our nation, learn more of our heritage and culture whose insufficient and infirm legatees we right now are, and therefrom derive the perspective and power to strengthen our nation in service and sacrifice for it !
Vande Mataram ! Jai Hind !
Written by Sugata Bose
There is a golden mean between ultra-nationalism and anti-nationalism, and that is nationalism. Let us be nationalistic, patriotic to the core without being ignorant, ill-informed, irrational or infra-rational in our emotional, mental and intellectual derivatives thereof.
Our allegiance to the nation must be founded more on sound character and principled living rather than frothy emotion of the hour expressed in raucous surface support for a contingent cause whose passage with time will quell emotions and bury the issue deep into the realm of oblivion. This must not be. We must have a continuous commitment to the nation independent of the stimuli of sorrowful situations imposed upon it when, of course, we must at any rate and by all means rise up as a single people to combat and conquer the exigencies of the times. But ours, I reiterate, must be a continuous commitment to the nation's well-being.
Our intent must be clear, our motivations pure, our convictions based on reason, humanity and adherence to our age-old universal spiritual culture. But none must, therefore, take recourse to the narrative of our universal acceptance of creeds and faiths to suit their subversive ends.
Our national philosophy must be comprehended in completeness after its systematic study from our heritage sources and not merely from western sources of historical information and analysis. The narrative of our nation must have the Indian perspective and our understanding of our culture and history formed accordingly. Only then shall we be able to rightly interpret our history and seek lessons thereof for combating the current conspiracies that afflict our nation. In it will lie true nationalism and eminent service to our motherland.
May we study more of our nation, learn more of our heritage and culture whose insufficient and infirm legatees we right now are, and therefrom derive the perspective and power to strengthen our nation in service and sacrifice for it !
Vande Mataram ! Jai Hind !
Written by Sugata Bose
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