Patriotism is the virtue of the vicious.?

Question

-Oscar Wilde
What does this quote mean to you?
Do you think it shows a fatal flaw in the United States and its people?

Answer 1

I think it is the biased opinion of one person. I don't think it shows any fatal flaw in anything. Most countries have some patriotic citizens, and some that are unpatriotic. In America, we have freedom of speech and freedom of expression. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

Answer 2

Patriotism can be a vicious thing because most people think of a country as a piece of land with borders drawn on a map, and the history and culture that comes along with it. To me, this quote means that killing other people over a piece of earth, or because your government told you to fight, is something that appeals mostly to vicious people, and they think of it as a virtue. A country is not just a piece of land. A country is its constitution. Constitutions that guarantee basic human rights should be defended. One day all countries will guarantee basic human rights. Currently, only some do, and we cannot let the candle die. Freedom of speech, expression, the press, and freedom of and from religion. We will discover more basic human rights as humanity matures (if the religious crazies don't bring us down in the meantime), but these are the essential ones for now.

Answer 3

Vicious Meaning

Answer 4

While the best answer in this old thread is true overall, it kind of tip-toes around digging into this quote and sort of misses the point.

While from a neutral, unbiased point of view the obvious answer is that it depends on the person in question...since patriotism is at its core...rhetoric, and its moral integrity a reflection of said individual person's own actions...I think it's important to consider Mr. Wilde's life and untimely end in order to maybe understand the distinct intended point behind this quote.

Oscar Wilde was of Irish descent, living in the UK during a time which utilitarian ethics were, at least superficially held in stringently high regard. This fact alone should give plenty of insight into how he felt, but throw into the mix his later life imprisonment for being in a homosexual relationship (which was outlawed at the time, a legality which would later also condemn Alan Turing half a century later.) and it's easy to see why one in his position would consider patriotism almost exclusively a trait of the vicious and invasive. His so called "bias" was very well founded.

I don't of course believe that patriotism is -exclusively- a trait of the vicious, as it can also be a very high calling; however that said this is still one of my favorite quotes from Wilde because of the everlasting weight behind it when the full context of it is understood. It's important in any time I believe for people to remember that not only patriotism, but religion...circumstance...culture...family even...many things can be turned into rhetoric used to allow individuals to get away with what would be considered vicious and in some cases, even evil acts in such a way where they don't have to own up to their own responsibility, and it's up to every one to think about where the line must bet drawn between when an act of any sort is justifiable, or unjustifiable...regardless of the rhetoric or norms stated to back it up.

Answer 5

Patriotism is kind of a strange thing when you think about it. It's not like you can really choose which country you are born in, so the way I look at it is like this:

Patriotism is the thing people fall upon to find meaning in their life because they have nothing else to really believe in. When you are defensive under the policies of your own country, you give way to accept things which you normally would not take from other people, and say its okay because its for your "country". Fear turns into hatred.

Answer 6

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A patriot lives to protect the United States constitution and the rights it guarantees, from all enemies, foreign and domestic.

Answer 7

Patriotism is the reason why countries are divided with borders.Think of it this way, patriotism is being loyal to your master(country, tribe, religion, community, family, race etc.) and kill at the command of your master. Even a dog is loyal and will attack anybody to protect its master and the reason why a dog is loyal because it knows that the master will provide for it and if the dog refuses to obey the master, that dog will be thrown out of the house. So the choice is ours, to be loyal to our master because it feeds us or to set ourselves free without the fear that if we do not follow we will be deemed diloyal but still we will be at peace.

Answer 8

The author of the Quote in question Sir Osker Wild

Answer 9

I agree. Just look at the "Patriot Act" where the government is trying to convince you that it is your duty to your country to allow them to spy on you and detain you at their whim. It is a banner that can be waved by anyone and is held up as a virtue when it is actually being used against people. That's why they say when fascism comes to the United States, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying the cross. It is just one more thing people hide behind.

Answer 10

To me it says that those who claim "Patriotism" the loudest, are vicious persecutors. It shows that those in power in the U.S. are vicious and that the people of the U.S. are gullible. Not fatal flaws. The government has not been representative of its people in the last twenty years at least. It needs to be changed.

Answer 11

It is also said that patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel. Look at what Bush and Cheney do: if you don't totally agree with them, then you hate America and want the United States to fail. What dreck. And that mantra is repeated by the right-wing spin machines: Limbauagh, Hannity, Coulter, Savage, O'Reily, Beck . . . and so on.