You know what really makes me feel good about being a member of the human race? What gets “USA! USA!” pumping in my blood and ignites my latent–but of late dormant and repressed–feelings of patriotism?
It isn’t our country’s ability to kill people on the other side of the planet.
I recently watched the NOVA special on the project, which I am sure just skimmed the surface. This is a project that required many hundreds of talented, brilliant people from a very diverse array of specialities, untold thousands of work hours, the need to solve thousands of staggeringly complicated problems, and all with a single goal: to get that rover on the surface of Mars, intact. It has to be able to drive around when it gets there, with no damage to its delicate scientific tools.
And it worked! Spirit Rover is there, taking fabulous pictures, and is due soon to start living up to its name, roving about on the surface of Mars. The obstacles to overcome in order to make this beautiful accomplishment happen are stupendous. Keep in mind that something like two out of every three attempts to get to Mars, by the USA and sveral other countries, have failed.
Exciting stuff! People who think the “making of Lord of the Rings” is impressive should check this out.
Yes, we can do something besides blow stuff up!
This is an achievment that makes me proud to be an American, not our ability kick the crap out of some third-world country’s pitiful military.
I don’t understand the concept of patriotism, at least on a personal level. “Love it or leave it” has always baffled me. I don’t love America, nor am I proud to be an American. I’m happy to live here, but I don’t have deep feelings for the flag or the country. If anything, more often than not I’m embarrassed to be an American.
Patriotism is a valid emotion I think. Irrational, but valid. Some people naturally feel it. I feel it sometimes towards Britain (less n ow than in the past).
But I would never defend britain for doing something wrong. Patriotism is ok as long as it doesn’t cause you to side with a bad decision just because your country made it.
It’s irrational because the concept of pride is that we feel good about something we’ve done or had a part in doing, something we are responsible for. It is rational to be proud of ourselves for a good day at work, it is rational to be proud of a son for doing well at school. It is not rational to be proud of our country for sending a lander to Mars. Not that it is not valid. We humans are irrational beings, that’s what makes us unique.
But see, I think there is a rational component to being proud of our country for sending a rover (not merely a lander) to Mars.
Because, ultimately, the citizens of a democracy really are responsible for what the country does. That cuts both ways, needless to say. Which is why my USA patriotism has been dormant. I am disgusted with they way Bush handles foreign relations.
My motivation is US technology. Many technologies we take for granted were invented or perfected in the US, US citizens were a major factor in creating the world we live in today.
Plus our war(s) against the USSR and the Nazis were pretty damn respectable.
A problem with patriotism is that it can bend the truth. Britain has the lion’s share of modern or semi-modern inventions. America does have a reputation for perfecting technology, but it lets other countries do the inventing.
Well Hong Kong was the previous other bastion of freedom and hope. Now that it isn’t being assimilated and dismantled by one of the most evil governments on the earth…
Well, I am sure sending thingies to Mars is a lot of fun, and interesting for the scientists involved. And for many other people, I know. But, in terms of importance,…?
Being an American is like being in a big, weird, obnoxious family. They do a lot of things that embarass you and sometimes your family history is downright ugly, but then you’ve got moon landings and saving Europe and mars rovers and such. I think Homer Hickam said something like “you want something impossible accomplished, give a group of Americans not enough time to do it, and not enough money to do it with.” That’s what makes me proud of America, that kind of irrepressible, brave (and yes, sometimes obnoxious) energy.
To quote Bill Hicks, upon being asked whether he was proud to be an American:
“Well, my parents fucked there. That’s pretty much it.”
That’s how I feel about patriotism, too. It’s highly irrational, and often dangerous. Hey, I’ll admit to cheering on the Dutch team in an international football match. Sure. But if you want to burn the Dutch flag, or call my prime minister a full-on wanker, be my guest and have a beer on me. 't Would be a sad state of affairs if I was defined by my passport.
Don’t get me wrong: The Mars Rover is fantastic. I cheered aloud when I heard it landed safely. But especially in the context of discovering outer space, it’s somewhat ironic that we focus on this as an American achievement, rather than an achievement of mankind. And I’m not saying that because that European p.o.s. Beagle didn’t clear the parking lot, all right?
Chances are a lot of engineers working on the Rover project are from all sorts of countries, not just the US. Sure, NASA and the US government provided the framework, and the infrastructure. In the grand scheme of things, I marvel at the human achievement it represents, rather than the country the rocket was launched from.
No offense intended - I love the US, and its people. Most of them, anyway.
Proud to be part of a species that can do what this vehicle has done? Absolutely.
Proud to be part of a species known for some equally horrendous things? Not one iota.
Proud to be in the geographical confines of the country in which this space vehicle was launched? Eh. I’m proud it was accomplished, but the notion that it was completely American is … well, I disagree.
I am proud of those Americans for their acheivement.
At times I am proud of my country and/or the people in it. Other times, I’m not.
However, I am not proud to be and American. I take pride in things that I have accomplished myself. I am an American because I won the birth lottery. I can’t be proud of something I had no control over.
