Art begins when a man, with a purpose of communicating to other people a feeling he once experienced, calls it up again within himself and expresses it by certain external signs.
Leo TolstoyRead
The time is fast approaching when to call a man a patriot will be the deepest insult you can offer him. Patriotism now means advocating plunder in the interest of the privileged classes of the particular State system into which we have happened to be born.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote critiques the concept of patriotism, suggesting it has become associated with the interests of the elite rather than true love for oneβs country.
Leo Tolstoy's quote reflects a profound disillusionment with the notion of patriotism, positing that true patriotism has been corrupted. He argues that in modern society, calling someone a patriot has become synonymous with supporting the exploitation and plunder of resources for the benefit of the privileged elite, thus rendering the term an insult rather than a compliment. This perspective challenges the traditional understanding of patriotism as a noble virtue, framing it instead as a tool of oppression and classism.
Themes
PatriotismCritiqueEliteClass SystemDisillusionment
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about the implications of blind nationalism on society.
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