The Truth about Patriotism
Publisher: Duke University Press
Published: July 2007
Language: eng
Format: Paperback
Number of pages: 283
ISBN-13: 9780822341109
Subjects: American studies; Political science & theory; Political Science; Politics / Current Events; Politics/International Relations; Political Ideologies - Democracy; Political Ideologies - Nationalism; Political Science/U.S. Politic; Political Theory; History & Theory - General; Patriotism; Politics and government; United States
Description: A repudiation of the claim that patriotism is essential--or even beneficial--to democracy. Contending that even at its best patriotism subverts the democracy it purports to value, Steven Johnston turns to patriotism’s defenders to show how they must jettison much of democracy to champion patriotism. Closely examined, patriotism itself effectively demonstrates the impossibility of love of country. Patriotism, Johnston contends, tends toward narcissistic self-regard, blind to its violent ways of being in the world and its dependence on death. Thus we would be better off without it. Drawing largely from aspects of American political and popular culture, Johnston presents a wealth of examples to disclose patriotism’s self-defeating character. [from publisher description].