Nationality

[thebarran]

I was talking to a random stranger the other day. He told me he was from Ireland but had been over here (England) for 24 years. I asked when he came over and he said when he was 19, so we then had a discussion about him being English and Irish. I can understand him keeping his national pride but throughout the whole conversation he completely refuted the fact that he could be any bit english at all despite spending more than half is life here.

How about the rest of you? If you had spent your youth in one country and your adulthood in another would you look at yourself as from one nation or two?

 

[cheese]

This is almost exactly my situation.

I consider myself to belong on the nation stated on my passport. It's largely irrational loyalty, and helps with the maintenance of personal identity. Some people are more dependent on this aspect of identity than others, hence the dogged devotion.

In actual fact I don't belong anywhere, and most INTPs would say the same I think.

 

[FacetiousPersona]

National pride has never mattered to my feelings.

 

[Vatroslav]

^my neither... it's an illusion...

 

[sagewolf]

Same as the OP, but substitute childhood for youth and youth for adulthood. It is, indeed, exactly half my life that I've spent in Ireland. I don't identify with either country, though. National pride, national identity, and patriotism have always been things I don't understand.

"Patriotism is the conviction that ths country is superior to all other countries because you were born in it."--George Bernard Shaw. That quote really resonated with me the first time I heard it.

All INTPs are natural-born citizens of the Interweb anyways.

 

[Ermine]

If I were in that situation, I'd just claim to be a citizen of humanity and I currently live here. I've never based my identity on the fact that I'm a US citizen. I just live here.

 

[EloquentBohemian]

All INTPs are natural-born citizens of the Interweb anyways.

I want my passport to say that.

I spent the first 14 years of my life in the U.S. and then a fair amount in Canada (my country of birth). I went back and forth between the two several times until the end of 2002, then I stayed in Canada and plan to remain here. I feel no part either country.
I'd rather see those little dotted lines on maps all erased.

 

[Kuu]

Nationality is an outdated concept that has outlived its usefulness. In the future, it shall cease to exist. The internet is the beginning of it. But first, we must clear the most obvious obstacle: the creation of an international language, taught all over the world, and belonging to no nation in particular. The common tongue.

 

[Ulysses]

Back when I was in England, I didn't really care much about my nationality or place of birth. Ever since I moved to Canada, however, I've noticed how some people (mostly girls) are always telling me that they love my accent. That, combined with the fact that British people are a scarcity around here makes me feel sort of, er... special, I guess.

I'm pretty sure that if I was still back in England, I wouldn't give any of this a second thought.

 

[Felan]

Nationality is an outdated concept that has outlived its usefulness. In the future, it shall cease to exist. The internet is the beginning of it. But first, we must clear the most obvious obstacle: the creation of an international language, taught all over the world, and belonging to no nation in particular. The common tongue.

I kind of enjoy nationality and its more ingrained than just nations. There is also cultures of different traditions, which I think reinforces a national identity. I love the idea of multi-culturalism.

Also with nationalism you limit the damage bad eggs do to a one or more nations. Not just the obvious Hitler type of bad eggs, but also the stagnation of China, or later the Middle East. Nationalism allows for radical ideas (good and bad) to crop up in smaller parts of humanity and from those ideas other nations get ideas and inspiration.

I do think there needs to be more effort in stripping away some of the inequalities between nations and nationalities. But I don't see much good coming from stripping away nationalities themself.

 

[Anthile]

Nationality is an outdated concept that has outlived its usefulness. In the future, it shall cease to exist. The internet is the beginning of it. But first, we must clear the most obvious obstacle: the creation of an international language, taught all over the world, and belonging to no nation in particular. The common tongue.

Mi parolas Esperanton.



Also, I was born in Croatia but I live for my whole life in Germany, thus I suffered much from racism. That and being INXX, yeah, that was fun...

 

[sagewolf]

I kind of enjoy nationality and its more ingrained than just nations. There is also cultures of different traditions, which I think reinforces a national identity. I love the idea of multi-culturalism.

I agree; culture is something I am fascinated by and love to study. (I keep saying 'next year, when I'm living in Dublin and can go to libraries/get broadband/take up this hobby I will...) That said, I'm more likely to think Celtic/Gaelic culture is cool than that it's mine. It shouldn't be possible to own culture: it's common property of the human race in general.

 

[Thaklaar]

I too am confused. I spent my youth in the US and most of my adulthood in Texas.

All INTPs are natural-born citizens of the Interweb anyways.

I'm pretty sure I'd still be better off trying to pass myself off as a Canadian.

 

[Toad]

I was born in Vietnam. Lived in Canada for 10 years and the States for 10 years. I don't know where I belong!

 

[mikal]

I'm from nowhere.

Most of all I hate question: where are you from? Then I say: yes, I'm, and you?

The truth is that people just adore to belong somewhere.
Their country and nation above every other. they die and kill for their nation, for their land. It's like some holy duty or something..

Never understood patriotism.

 

[Tyria]

I think home is where you plant your roots. I don't identify with nationality as much as others might; we are all people and we all come from different places even if we are the same age and lived in the same town.