The truth about patriotism

the long version

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].