If you are asked: “What does it mean to be a patriot?”, You will probably be surprised, because we all remember from school that a patriot is a person who loves his homeland and is always ready to protect it. In childhood, almost everyone thought so, but represented such actions somehow abstractly. Having matured, many of us understand the concept of "patriotism" in slightly different ways.
Who can be considered a patriot?
What does it mean to be a patriot? This is a rather complicated question. Here is what the encyclopedic dictionary tells us about this: "Patriotism is love for one’s country, native land and its cultural environment."
Unfortunately, many young people often confuse devotion to their homeland with nationalism. Indeed, in essence, nationalism is the activity of a certain part of people who often fight against non-existent enemies. Allegations that one nationality has superiority over another have nothing to do with the concept of "patriotism." A nation is formed not by individual citizens, but by peoples. Unity at the nation level rests on solidarity, both ethical and interethnic.
How to raise patriotism?
Some believe that love for the people and the homeland is instinctive. Others - that there is no innate sense of patriotism as such, it can only be developed in a person. As always, the truth is somewhere in between. Each person is not born a “clean sheet”, which only take and fill. In Soviet times, a sense of patriotism was imposed on children from the cradle. Love for the motherland at that time was considered more important than love for parents, wife and children. Propaganda of the patriotic spirit could be found everywhere: in the movies, at work, and even on the streets. But were all those born in the Soviet Union patriots? Outwardly, people tried to resemble the loyal citizens of the country, but there were only a few patriots in their hearts.
An even sadder example is Nazi Germany. At that time, instead of citizens who were sacredly devoted to the state, it contained only supple biomass.
So maybe the point is that the feeling of complete unity with the homeland cannot be imposed? This feeling can be awakened, but not created by artificial means. What it means to be a patriot, everyone decides for himself. People come to this in different ways too: some through art, others through religion, still others through history, fourth after serving in the army. In general, how many people - so many ways.
Of course, the child must be introduced to familiarization with the history, literature and culture of his state. Only in this way can he determine what it means to be a patriot for him. Because most people define the word "patriotism" ambiguously. The most popular answers from citizens are:
- love to motherland;
- protection of the Fatherland;
- loyalty to the country;
- compliance with laws.
Probably all of them are right. All of these concepts in complex and outline a distinctive image of a patriot. Although, first of all, love for one's land should live in the heart.
If your soul speaks when the national anthem is played, if you sincerely cheer for the national sports team, even when mediocre players play in it, if you are far beyond the borders of your country, but sing a lullaby to your child in your native language, know: you are a real patriot and a worthy resident not only of his state, but of the whole planet!