Most people love their country. This is a good thing, since we share our
country, and all benefit from its success if it can be made to work well. But there are dangers in loving your country
too uncritically.
Today it was announced that British company
Dyson would move its headquarters to Singapore.
Most observers think that this is a reaction to Brexit. This is strange, since the company’s founder,
Sir James Dyson, has been one of the most prominent supporters of Brexit. Although he has always claimed that leaving
the EU would be a huge success for Britain because of our hard-work and
business skills, now that Brexit is approaching, perhaps he is having to deal
with a different reality.
This might be a good time to consider the
topic of love for one’s country. Here is
an extract from an essay by 18th century Irish/British writer Oliver
Goldsmith on the subject. I have heavily
edited it to make it easier for English students to follow.
An edited extract from, “On national
prejudices”, by Oliver Goldsmith
Since I spend most of my time in pubs,
coffee houses and other public meeting points, I have an opportunity of
observing an infinite variety of characters.
In a recent visit to such a place, I fell into a conversation with half
a dozen men who were arguing about politics.
Among many other topics, we talked about
the different characters of the various nations of Europe. One of the men declared that the Dutch were
greedy, the French used too much flattery, the Germans were drunkards and
gluttons, and the Spaniards proud and bad-tempered. He said, however, that in bravery, generosity
in justice, and in every other virtue the English were the greatest. The other men smiled and agreed with this
remark – all except for me. I rested my
head on my arm and pretended to be thinking about something else so that I
didn’t have to answer.
But the man who had spoken was not
satisfied. Addressing me with
confidence, he asked me if I agreed.
Although I had not wanted to argue, since he had asked me, I told him my
true opinion. I said that I would not
give such strong opinions on Europeans unless I had toured Europe and studied
the manners of these nations with great care and accuracy. I said that a more impartial judge would
judge that the Dutch were more frugal and industrious, the French more polite,
the Germans more hardy and hard-working, and the Spaniards more easy-going and
calm than the English. I said that although
the English were brave and generous, they were at the same time rash and
headstrong – tending too much to be overly excited by success and overly
depressed by failure.
I could easily see that the whole company
began to dislike me before I finished my answer. Realising that it was pointless to debate
further, I left and thought about the absurdity of national prejudices.
If these prejudices were common only among
the poorest and lowest of the people, perhaps they might be excused, as these
people have few opportunities of correcting them by reading, travelling or
conversing with foreigners. But the sad
thing is that they infect the minds even of the richest and highest people.
Those who most often boast of national
merit tend to have the least merit of their own. A weak vine grows around a strong tree
because it does not have the strength to support itself.
Vocabulary:
Uncritically – without questioning
a founder – of a business or organisation,
someone who starts it
prominent – well-known
infinite – not limited in number
half a dozen - six
flattery – excessive or insincere praise,
especially given for one’s own benefit
gluttony – habitual greed or excess in
eating
impartial – unbiased; looking at both or
all sides equally
frugal – economical with money or food
rash – tending to act too quickly, without
enough thought about the consequences
headstrong – stubborn and unwilling to
listen to others
absurdity - ridiculousness
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