variations on a theme

Comparisons of the underlying features of forms of affection

The most interesting debate to me (not the most pressing or important naturally to most people) is the examination of comparisons of nationalism/patriotism toward racism in its nature of discriminatory feeling. It's usually a sort of expanded "family" sensibility to care about your neighbours, your friends, and to a degree, one's countrymen and most people have no problem with an expectation that one should (and will) care most about their closest companions (family and friends). The distinction comes in where there's a blind spot, through that loyalty and it permits attitudes and behaviors of us vs them bloodshed and conflict (rather than mere competitiveness).

And I found the comparison of a coffee cup as one's country as great. It's kind of important to consider the idea of love of country as an often one-way relationship just above that of a crazy person. It begs the important question "does your country love you back?" If so, how? What is it doing? And what if it doesn't, in its way, communicate back, listen to your concerns, and so on?