Nationalism: A Reflection

A line on a map. A river. A mountain range. An accident of birth, and another citizen is added to the populace….

Is there still room for the idea that where you’re from makes who you are? The world is small enough to fit comfortably in your pocket nowadays, so with the ability to see everyone, everywhere, everywhen, can it really be comfortable to believe that an accident defines the nature of a soul? A person?

I did not choose to be born Canadian. I had no involvement in that decision. I do, however, decide to remain Canadian. That is a choice I make based on all the available resources and information in this modern age. The difference is that I can take pride in one event, but not in the inherent luck of the other.

It’s a die roll – and the dice are crooked. Statistically speaking, a soul will be born into a life bereft of luxury and comfort, still, in 2025. Taking pride in the accident of your birth location is like taking pride in being tall, or curly-haired – or some other attribute over which you had no control. Be proud of your skills, your decisions, your intelligence, the strength of your arm, the sharpness of your tongue – traits you built and developed with your own determination. Your own choice.

And if you think far enough around that corner, you just might find that the other accidentals become incidentals all on their own